By Your Side
by quinnovative
Summary: Alex and Kara sister-centric one shots. Feel free to send in prompts. / Ch. 56 prompt - Time is altered and now Alex isn't Kara's sister. It's up to Kara to fix things. (Part 3)
1. Chapter 1 - Nightmares

**A/N:** This fic will be a combination of Kara/Alex sister-centric one shots. I will gladly make my best attempt on any prompts you leave me, so feel free to send them in :)

This chapter is based off a prompt from a guest, **Alex comforting and taking care of Kara after a really bad nightmare or fight and she is too scared to sleep.**

I hope you like it, I'd love to hear your feedback!

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There was no light where she was, only reflections of silvery glints from the moon, scattering through the building. There were shadows, and the gnawing sensation that something was wrong. Thunder cracked as the wind shrieked and the structure groaned. A large figure darted behind Kara and she spun around, just as it disappeared back to shadow.

A scream pierced the still night air.

Alex.

Kara rushed to the sound, ignoring the dark masses lurking in each corner. She arrived at a long corridor, trying desperately to use her vision to locate Alex, but it wasn't working. She couldn't see. She couldn't find her in the sea of old metal and rusted hinges.

Another scream slit the silence, jagged and pained. Kara tried to call to Alex. Her voice was gone. She threw open the fifth door, revealing Alex behind a curtain of thick smoke. An alien, massive and horrid, was tearing Alex apart, attacking her, torturing her.

Kara tried to run but her limbs were slow and her mind fuzzy. She beat at the creature, tried to shove it away. She howled and cried silently, the night consuming her sound. The alien slammed her against the ground before disappearing in a fog of dust and darkness.

Kara peeled herself off the floor, fighting an ache shredding through her body, and scrambled to Alex. Crimson blood stained Kara's suit, warm as it seeped through the fabric and saturated her skin. She reached for Alex, her pulse was gone, her were eyes glassy; and finally, Kara was able to scream.

Dark. It was the first thing she noticed as she shot up. There was not an ounce of light expect for a few blinking blurs. A fistful of bedsheets spilled from her hand, her chest was heaving and she thought she might be responsible for the high pitched noise ringing through the darkness.

She struggled against her comforter, trashing until it loosened. A tightness strangled her lungs, strangled the air. She needed to find light, she needed to see.

She couldn't breathe.

 _Alex_ , her mind cried out against the confusion.

Her heart pounded a wild symphony in her chest.

 _Alex._

What happened? Where was she?

 _Alex._

As Kara fumbled around her fingers collided with her phone. Was she at home? Was Alex okay?

Through tear-blurred vision, Kara dialed Alex's number and with each passing ring, the space between Kara's breathing decreased, her body trembling against the headboard of her bed.

"Kara?" Alex's voice was soft and tired. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"Alex," Kara breathed out in a shaky sigh of relief. It was just a dream – a nightmare. A sob slipped from her lips, unbridling the sliver of composure she'd clung to.

"Kara, talk to me." Alex came through the line, this time her voice was alert and laced with concern. "Are you hurt?"

"No, no. I-I'm fine. I'm – I'm okay," she said, through a lump in her throat, words heavy with tears as she squeezed a pillow against her stomach, hugging it to her body.

In her own apartment, Alex sat up and threw off the sheets, already getting dressed. "Did you have a bad dream?"

Kara hiccupped, trying to slow her breathing, but fragments of the nightmare kept coming back, tormenting her all over again. She nodded as tears slid down her cheeks. Then, remembering Alex couldn't see her, mumbled a broken 'yeah' into the phone.

"Do you want me to come over?" Alex asked, anticipating Kara's answer and knowing it would differ from what she really wanted.

"No, i-it's okay," she said after a moment. "I d-don't want to bother you."

"What if I told you I was already on my way?" Alex said as she pulled on her shoes before slipping out into the hall and locking the door.

Kara took a deep breath and Alex noted how it shook. "Then I'd s-say you're the b-best sister in the galaxy."

Despite everything, Alex felt a small smile tug at her lips. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes tops, but I'll stay on the line, okay?"

"Yeah," Kara said with a sniffle, trying to focus on Alex's voice as the minutes passed and she trembled in the darkness.

When she heard the door crack open, was able to see Alex through the walls, Kara launched herself out of bed and flung her arms around Alex the second she stepped into the apartment.

"Hey, hey," the brunette said, immediately returning the hug, pulling Kara close with one hand while rubbing her shoulder with the other. "It's okay. You're okay."

Kara shook her head against Alex's neck, tears slipping down her face, despite her attempts to stop them.

"What happened?" Alex asked gently, holding Kara tighter.

"You died. In my dream. I-I couldn't save you," she mumbled into the fabric of her big sister's shirt.

 _Oh._ "Well, I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. I'm okay and you're going to be okay, and everything's all right." Alex refused to mention that, in their line of work, one of them losing the other was possible. Terrifying and petrifying and possible. It haunted Alex every single day, but she trusted herself and she trusted her sister and she trusted the work they did.

More what-ifs and possibilities weren't what Kara needed, so Alex hugged her little sister securely and wiped away her tears, promising that things were okay.

"I can't go back to sleep," Kara said, her voice hoarse as she calmed.

"Hot chocolate always seems to help with that," Alex said with a small smile as she moved toward the kitchen. "Hang tight for a second."

A few minutes later, she met Kara on the couch, nursing two warm mugs. Alex passed one to Kara, watching as a little grin tugged at her features. "You added marshmallows."

"Of course," Alex said with a wink, sitting beside Kara and turning on the TV. Half an hour of light conversation passed before Alex noticed Kara slumping beside her, their cups discarded on the coffee table earlier.

"Come on," Alex whispered, absentmindedly drawing circles on Kara's back with her fingers. "It's time to go back to sleep."

"No," Kara muttered, lifting her head. " 'm not tired."

"Yes you are," Alex said as Kara yawned, closing her eyes again.

"I'm scared to sleep, Alex," she responded when Alex nudged her, avoiding the older girl's gaze. "It was so horrible, my dream. It was awful. I couldn't move, I couldn't think. It was so disorienting. I couldn't do anything and you were just lying there bleeding. Until—until you died," Kara finished, her voice cracking and falling to a whisper.

Alex could sense that Kara was close to slipping back into a frantic state and her exhaustion was only making things worse. "You need to sleep. You're not getting enough sleep as it is on a normal night, it's not good for you. You have to try."

Kara sighed, her features tugging downward in a frown, eyes watery. "Will you stay with me? At least until I fall asleep?" Kara asked, blush coloring her cheeks with embarrassment.

"Of course. I'll stay all night, if you want, in case you wake up again," Alex said, smiling warmly.

Kara nodded. "Thank you," she said softly, feeling like she was more work than she was worth, as they deposited their mugs in the sink and walked to the bedroom.

Alex waved off Kara's thanks with a hug, promising that she'd do anything for Kara. It was never a problem. The mattress dipped slightly as Alex climbed onto the other side of the bed and wrapped a blanket around Kara, before she slipped under the covers. With a quivering breath and lips pressed tightly together, Kara lowered herself onto her pillow and closed her eyes.

"You're safe, I'm safe. It's all good," Alex promised, gently running her fingers over Kara's hair as the blonde's breathing evened out, and she turned toward her sister.

"All good," Kara murmured, the presence of Alex's arm on her shoulder, helping remind her that Alex was safe. She was okay. They were okay; sleep could come.


	2. Chapter 2 - Alex Gets Shot

**A/N:** Thank you so much for the reviews and awesome prompts- keep sending them in :) If I get enough, I'll put a poll up on my profile page so you guys can vote on which prompt you want me to write next.

This one was inspired by KillMeToday's prompt, **Alex gets shot for saving a kid and Kara takes care of her, combined with the usual fluffiness.**

Thanks so much for the prompt!

I hope you all enjoy, and I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

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The details weren't clear in Kara's head, when she thought back to the moment, as she paced the hospital waiting room, feeling weaker and worse than she ever had, even in the presence of green kryptonite and homicidal aliens.

All she could recall were bullets and chaos and blood. So much blood. Quantities of blood like she'd never seen.

There was a child, a small boy, no older than seven years old, with sandy blond hair and big brown eyes. Kara wasn't sure how he'd ended up as a hostage, and after everything that went down she hadn't bothered to ask. He was trapped amidst all the gunfire and thoughtless violence; some mindless act driven by fear and desperation.

Kara and Alex had been out together, walking back to Kara's apartment after a late dinner when the commotion started – sharp pops and bangs from inside the abandoned warehouse – both girls had rushed to investigate, to help in any why they could. God, it hadn't even been Alex's mission. It had nothing to do with the DEO.

A bullet had barreled in the child's direction just seconds after Alex had spotted him. Kara, on the outside of the room, occupied with one of the criminals, didn't see it happen, didn't know until it was too late. But she had come to realize that Alex did what she always did. She sacrificed herself to keep someone else safe.

It wasn't fair to wish that Alex hadn't done it, because the kid had been saved, he and his family returned safely home, as she learned later. But dammit, by the time Kara reached Alex, the brunette was already bleeding out and Kara had no idea what to do.

"Alex," Kara screamed as she traversed the room. The concentration of so many feelings all fizzing and swirling inside her pushed her powers, their potency escalating as her control diminished, and within seconds every criminal in her radius was knocked to the ground and rendered unconscious.

Even knowing how awful they would feel when they woke, Kara knew it wasn't close to the ache of worry burning in her stomach.

She closed the final steps before collapsing beside Alex, sinking to her knees. The room had emptied, with the criminals unconscious and the family held hostage, fleeing onto the street, given instructions to call an ambulance and wait on the sidewalk until they arrived.

"I'm okay," Alex said, through labored breathing and a winded voice. Her hands were pressed against her abdomen. Kara would never forget the sight of thick, crimson blood oozing between her sister's fingers, sliding across her hand and dripping to the floor.

"Alex, you were shot," Kara said and her words were made heavy by the lump in her throat.

"Not that bad, just need to s-stop the bleeding," her sister replied in a strained timbre, trying to move off the ground. "Don't try to fly me to the hospital, I don't k-know where the bullet is and if I move wrong, I m-might mess something up. You need to change, I'm sure c-cops are on their way. If they see you with me as Supergirl they'll- they'll know. The family saw Kara w-walk in, they need to see her walk out… think Supergirl was someone else"

Kara didn't want to leave Alex's side, not for one instant, but she knew her sister was right. She changed with super speed, returning to Alex in under two seconds.

As Alex attempted to ease herself into a sitting position a hiss escaped her lips and a grimace contorted her features. Her arms wobbled from beneath her and she buckled, her head slamming against the concrete as she met the ground.

"Alex," Kara yelled and slid closer, pulling her sister's head into her lap.

Alex squeezed her eyes shut, blood had saturated her shirt, blossoming exponentially across the fabric. She reached blindly for Kara's hand and Kara wrapped her fingers around her sister's, clenching tightly and willing herself to just do _something_. Anything that would help Alex survive.

"Alex, I need to try to slow the bleeding, okay?"

Kara pulled off the cardigan she'd been wearing and tried to drown out Alex's gasp of pain as Kara pushed the material against her sister's wound. All Kara could do was whisper "I'm sorry," over and over again, the words looping from her lips as Alex writhed.

After a few seconds, Kara felt Alex's weight grow heavier in her lap, her sister's limbs were going limp, her skin paling, her breathing fading and her words were so soft Kara could barely make them out, even with her super hearing. "I love you," Alex was saying. "I love you so much, Kara."

Kara felt like she were dying. She felt like she were the one on the cold concrete floor, bleeding out and gasping for air. She felt Alex slipping away like water between her fingers and she felt like Earth was splintering right beneath her feet. "No, no, don't you dare leave me, Alex. You cannot let go. You can't, you can't, you can't."

"I'm sorry," Alex said in a shaky, breathy voice. "I should have been better, I should have done more for you, 'specially when you first got here…"

"No, Alex you were perfect. You are so perfect. You're the best sister I could ever have. You're not going to die. You're not."

"Do you love me?"

Kara nodded feverishly. "More than anything in the galaxy."

"Then don't lie to me and don't lie to yourself, Kar. We both know how this could end."

"No." Kara shook her head, tears pouring down her face as she pushed the fabric against Alex's abdomen, wishing there was a way to do it without inflicting so much pain.

A sharp gasp sliced the air and Alex bit her lip. "T-tell Mom I love her, okay? Promise you'll be there for her."

"I promise, Alex. I promise," Kara said, sincerity and agony carving out her words.

"And take care of yourself too, Supergirl. Don't miss me too much. You gotta keep living. For both of us."

"You can't say that," Kara cried. "You're not going anywhere. I- I won't let you."

Alex smiled sadly, her eyes closing as she fought to remain conscious.

"Alex," Kara began, softly, whispering between hiccups. "Did you- did you know, that you're _my_ favorite superhero?"

"Not a hero," Alex mumbled, her words smearing together, like the blood that seemed to drench everything, and her breathing was a mess, shallow and ragged and Kara was begging the world to just let her live. Give her more air; give her more time.

"Yes you are," Kara said. "The best one. Alex, you're exactly the person I wanted to be when I grew up. You're the bravest hero and the strongest one and the-"

Kara stopped, her words lost in a howl of sirens and the sound of footsteps pounding through the doorway.

"Help!" Kara called, her voice hoarse as a flurry of EMTs rushed in, surrounding the pair. When Kara looked back down, Alex's eyes were closed, her body was entirely limp.

The next pieces were a blur. She remembered Alex being pulled away from her. She remembered screaming her throat raw and the way Alex's blood had stood out, stark against the white of the ambulance as they tore through the streets. Kara remembered doctor's asking her if she was okay and she couldn't conjure the words to say it, so she just nodded as more tears gathered and fell and speckled the hospital's tiled floor.

Outside the surgical unit, in the corner of a small, empty waiting room, Kara backed into a wall, sliding until she felt the ground and curled into herself; knees pulled to her chest, head bowed downward as she sobbed. What kind of hero was she, Kara questioned, if she couldn't even save her own sister?

She had one damn job, and she could never manage to do it right when it came to the people she loved. Her mom, her dad, the people of Krypton, Kal-El, now Alex and Eliza and Hank…. She repeated the names in her head; the list of people she'd let down. Two planets and two paths of destruction.

Kara reached up to wipe at a tear, pausing with quivering, trembling hands as she caught sight of the crimson that stained her skin. Slowly, she looked down, to realize that her shirt was drenched in the same hue. She sat like that, petrified, gaze torn between her fingers and the fabric all bathed in red, for nearly an hour, until Hank arrived and found her in that very position.

"Kara," he said quietly, the sterile, white doors still swinging behind him as he knelt in front of her.

She didn't react to her name, didn't register his presence until he reached out, took her blood-caked hands in his, soft and warm. "Come on. Let's get cleaned up."

It took a second, but Kara finally nodded, her gaze still far as he helped ease her into a standing position.

He washed her hands under water until she sniffled and took a hard, deep breath and managed to take over for herself. Hank leaned against the wall, watching her with concern.

"She's – she's in surgery right now," Kara said, still rubbing furiously at her hands.

Hank nodded. "I know."

"How'd you find out about what happened?"

"You called me," he said calmly.

She swallowed hard and vaguely pieces together a memory of trying to dial someone's number, but struggling because her hands were shaking so badly.

Hank watched as Kara continued scrubbing her hands, her skin pink and raw. He turned the faucet off. "They're all clean. No more blood."

"Here, go change," he said, producing a bag of spare clothing Alex had left at the DEO. Kara hadn't noticed he'd been carrying it until now. "I figured you might need this.'

"Thank you," she choked out, noting, with a pang in her chest, that this probably wasn't the first time he'd done something like this.

She emerged from the stall a moment later, clad in a black leggings and an oversized crew neck sweatshirt she recognized from a trip she and Alex had taken, years ago. It was worn and faded, but its scent and feeling reminded Kara of Alex, the softness and familiarity, and the washed-out blue of its fabric had always been Alex's favorite color.

"I need- I need to call, Eliza, too" Kara said, looking up at Hank and already dreading having to break the news to Alex's mom.

Hank nodded. "Let me take that," he said, holding the bag of clothes for her. "I can go grab us coffee and meet you back in the waiting room, if you want?"

"Okay," Kara replied with a small nod. "Thanks," she said, her voice quiet.

He rubbed her arm gently. "It's the least I can do. You hang in there."

Kara stood, still staring down at her phone seconds after the door had closed, fearing that the conversation was so heavy it would break her all over again.

Before she could back out, Kara dialed the number and closed her eyes. She paced the length of the room five times before Eliza's voice came through the line.

"Eliza?" Kara asked quietly.

"Kara, is everything okay?"

Kara felt herself shaking again. "No," she said, pausing to gain some composure. "Alex is h-hurt. She got shot."

It was silence hung in the air, taunt and heavy. Until, at last, Eliza broke it. "Is she going to make it?" she asked and her voice was tight, cracking.

"I don't know," Kara cried into the phone. "They wouldn't tell me, no one would t-tell me anything. They t-took her into surgery as soon as we got here."

"I'm taking the first flight over. I'll be there as soon as I can… I"

"She wanted me to tell you that she loves you, in – in case she doesn't get to s-say it herself." Kara brought a loose fist up to her eyes, rubbing her tears away and she heard Eliza's breaths turn to cries over the phone.

When she spoke again her voice was soft. "Kara," she said. "I love you. And I love Alex. I'm on my way to the airport now."

Kara leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Me too," Eliza said sincerely, before they exchanged their goodbyes and Kara was left in silence again. She moved out of the bathroom, her legs feeling weak and tired as she collapsed into a chair in the waiting room - waiting for Hank, waiting for Eliza, waiting for the doctors, and waiting, mostly, for Alex to pull through.

A few minutes passed before Hank had placed a warm cup in her hands and sat beside her. Together, in silence, they waited, and Kara's mind wandered. As a teenager, outside of school, Alex had been a little bit rough and tumble. Bold and brave and fiercely competitive with a love for contest, had landed Alex a few hospital visits, usually a result of sports injuries or adventures gone wrong.

Kara was drawn to a specific incident. She'd only been living with the Danvers for one, maybe two years, when Alex had sustained a head injury in a rough collision during a soccer game. She'd played through the game and when it was over begged Kara, who'd been cheering from the sidelines of the high school field, not to tell Eliza or Jerimiah. Kara had agreed, unknowing of the severity of the injury and eager to make Alex happy, despite the guilt she had felt knotting in her stomach for keeping something from her foster parents.

Late that night, she'd heard Alex crying, and stumbled sleepily into Alex's room as her sister asked her to get Eliza. Kara remembered tailing her foster mom and Alex to the hospital, staying as close to them as she could. She had been afraid of getting in the way, but even more afraid of being alone and leaving Alex. What stood out most, though, was remembering the heartbreak on Alex's face when her mom talked with the doctor, and after diagnosing Alex with a severe concussion, determining that it was unsafe for her to continue playing.

Kara would never forget the helplessness she'd felt, tugging inside her, as Alex seemed to wander around for days looking lost and unsure of herself.

Now, that same helplessness had settled inside Kara and it was even worse than she'd remembered, weighty and biting and magnified by the gravity of the situation.

Footsteps echoed down the hall as the door to the waiting room opened and a doctor entered. "Family of Alex Danvers?" he asked.

Kara's head snapped up. "Over here," she said, standing up with Hank beside her. "I'm her sister."

"The surgery was successful," the woman announced with a warm smile and Kara felt a smile splitting across her own face.

"She's going to be okay?"

The doctor nodded. "I'm confident she'll heal completely. Your sister suffered some blood loss, but the bullet missed everything vital and we were able to remove it without complications."

Kara shuffled anxiously and pressed her chin against her tangled fingers. "When can we see her?"

"Soon. She's in the PACU unit being monitored by a recovery nurse. When your sister wakes up you'll be alerted and taken back to see her. She'll likely be tired and may experience some nausea, but she'll be okay. I'd say with the way things have been going, she should be awake in about an hour."

"All right," Kara said with a nod, thanking the doctor.

She turned to Hank as soon as they were alone. "I need to call, Eliza," she said, this time with a smile tugging at her lips.

Kara wandered into the halls, returning a few minutes later. "She was five minutes away from boarding," Kara told Hank when she got back. "She's on her way now."

"And Alex! She's gonna be okay. She's okay!" Kara said, jumping around Hank. He laughed quietly and smiled, glad to see their usual Kara was back. He was afraid to imagine what would have happened if things had turned out differently. He knew that same fear would come back over Kara once her initial outpour of relief passed, but for now, Kara's relief was infectious.

"Family of Alex Danvers?" A nurse called into the room, about an hour later, after Kara had paced relentlessly, unable to keep still.

"Here," Kara said as the nurse approached.

The woman smiled and glanced at her clipboard. "Are you Kara?"

The blonde nodded.

"Your sister just woke up a minute ago and she's already asking for you."

Kara smiled. "So we can go back now?"

The nurse gave them a sympathetic look. "Hospital policy only allows us to permit one visitor at a time so soon after surgery."

Hank looked at Kara. "You go. I'll check in with you both tomorrow. Let Alex know I'm glad she's okay."

Kara nodded. "Thank you… for everything."

He patted her on the shoulder. "I'll see you two later."

After goodbyes and exchanging the bag of Kara's old clothes and an extra pair for Alex, Hank left and the nurse led Kara into Alex's room. Following a small verbal set of rules, the nurse opened the door to Alex's room and left the sister's alone.

"Hey," Kara said softly.

"Hey," Alex parroted, looking small beneath the white hospital sheets. Her hair was a bit of a mess, her eyes tired but there was a small smile on her lips and there was air filling her lungs and her heart was still beating and _that,_ to Kara, was the most beautiful thing she could imagine.

Her sister was alive. Her Alex was alive.

Tears filled Kara's eyes and poured over, spilling down her cheeks to the tip of her jaw.

"Oh, Kara, come 'ere," Alex said, pulling a hand out from under the sheets and stretching it toward her sister.

Kara was by Alex's side in an instant. She filled the bedside seat, relishing in the feeling of Alex's arm around her and doing her best to burrow against Alex's neck without hurting her.

"Sorry," Kara wheezed, her voice muffled.

Alex squeezed her tighter. "Nothing to be sorry about."

"I was so scared, Alex. I was so scared I thought you were going to die."

"Shh, I know, I know." Alex brushed away Kara's tears before wiping at her own. "I was scared, too," Alex admitted and Kara pulled back to look at her sister. She brushed Alex's hair behind her ear and took Alex's face into her hands.

"I'm so happy you're okay. I don't know what I would do without you."

Alex smiled and it changed the path of the salty tears pooling from her eyes and clinging to her lashes. "Back at ya, Sister."

Kara laughed and Alex tried not to, because she didn't want to hurt her side, so she just smiled at Kara. "I love you," she said, her voice heavy with exhaustion.

"I love you, too," Kara said and fixed the sheets around Alex before gently stroking her sister's hair. "Go back to sleep," she instructed softly. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

Alex nodded, leaning into Kara's touch and whispering sweet murmurs, with painkiller and fatigue influenced candor, about how lucky and happy she was to be alive.


	3. Chapter 3 - Kara Returns & Saves Alex

**A/N:** Thank you so very much to everyone reading this story - it means so much. Special thank you for all the favorites, follows, and kind reviews. You guys make my day! I always enjoy hearing from you wonderful people.

Be sure to keep sending prompts in if you'd like! I've received some really awesome ones and I can't wait to write them. If I get a few more, I'll make a poll on my profile page, that way you can vote the prompt you want me to write next. So, keep an eye out for that. :)

This chapter is inspired by 2's prompt, **Kara has disappeared for two months and is presumed to be dead, but she's in Barry's Earth (the deo didn't know that) and returns just in time as Alex is about to get killed by an alien. Then some Kara Alex bonding.**

Quick disclaimer - I have only seen a few episodes of The Flash, so I did my best to craft this chapter in spite of that. If anything feels off, please let me know. :)

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Alex's heart was beating, pounding against the slick pavement as destruction and chaos rained upon the darkened alley. The air was heavy with humidity and the two other agents sent with her to detain the alien threat had already been discarded by the creature, tossed to the ground a distance away from her. Pain screamed in her side and her head pounded, and combined with their distance, she was unable to determine if they were dead or unconscious.

Her orders were to remain out of the alien's sight until backup from the DEO arrived, so, as the creature sought Alex out, she pressed herself between the street and a dumpster, and tried not to think about the sick feeling in her stomach that tonight could, quite easily, be the night she died.

Backup units were still far, the DEO had been overwhelmed with crises and threats since Supergirl's disappearance two months ago. Violence had wracked the city and the DEO was barely able to keep things under control.

She heard the alien's footsteps clattering against the street as her mind reeled through the events of the previous two months. Kara's disappearance had been abrupt and unpredicted. Everything had appeared normal one evening as she left the DEO, flying off into the night. The first sign of her disappearance had occurred the next morning when Kara didn't show up at CatCo Media, and then failed to attend a meeting with the DEO.

Within a few days the missed phone calls had piled up and Alex was left with no response, only the simple greeting of Kara's voicemail. There were no answers, no leads, no clues, hints, or indications. Just the stark black and white hues of _there one day and gone the next_. And the long, painful seconds merged and mounded into minutes into hours turned weeks to months.

Alex's thoughts halted, she peered out from a gap between the wall and trashcans, the alien was still temporarily dulled by the earlier shots she'd sent in its direction.

She pressed herself back against the red brick of the building behind her, thinking about Kara again and the days that had stretched by in her absence. Kara was presumed dead and Alex was reminded of it every day—by empty halls in the DEO and quiet apartments and the constant cycle of news playing across every TV screen in the city. Reporters asking the same question Alex asked herself every morning and night and all the time in between: where was Supergirl?

Because despite everything, no one really wanted to believe she was gone. Alex wouldn't – _couldn't_ – believe Kara was dead.

There was a loud crack in the street, reverberating through the ground and shaking Alex to her bones. A few moments passed and Alex saw the alien's shadow approaching. She closed her eyes and moved slightly, trying to shake out the pain shooting from her clavicle to her abdomen. There was no way back up would be there in time.

Alex checked the special gun the DEO had designed, created specifically to target the alien's super strength and penetrate its rubbery skin. The serum's elements were highly concentrated with hopes that it would still be effective despite the alien's large size.

It had worked, at first. Sort of.

The alien had been temporarily stunned, but it was fine now, and approaching Alex. Quickly.

And _shit_ her gun was almost empty.

Alex ran a hand over her face ignoring the pain that radiated through her side. She moved into a crouching position, angling her gun at the creature and sucking in a deep breath.

She only had one shot, but maybe one shot would be enough.

Her heart was a metronome set on high as she curled her finger around the trigger and pulled hard.

On impact, the alien froze, before yanking the injection from its chest and throwing the device. The capsule landed with a clatter, splashing water from the pavement as the alien threat turned toward Alex.

She tossed her gun at its face, hurling the machine with as much force as possible before scrambling from the nook against the wall and into the street. She pushed herself up, slipping against the pavement.

Then a hand was on her body, shoving her down. Gravel bit into her palms and knees. With a kick to her stomach she collapsed and hit the street, tasting blood. Her ears rung and she struggled to sit up.

Another kick sent her back down and the alien towered above her. Alex wondered if Kara had felt the same way facing death. If she had known it was coming.

The agent closed her eyes and felt the creature's breath on her skin, hot and horrid, like it was encompassing her. A slap rang through the air and the feeling disappeared, the cool night air regaining its space around her.

Alex's eyes snapped open.

She saw it. Saw her.

Supergirl. Flying. Supergirl breathing, Supergirl throwing the alien against the ground with so much force that the pavement buckled.

Alex was convinced she was dead and yet, a sliver of hope was eking itself into sunlight.

With wobbling arms she eased herself into a sitting position. Supergirl had defeated the alien, rendering it unconscious with a few sharp, well placed blows.

Meanwhile, Alex raised a hand to her head, feeling around for an injury that would offer an explanation to the things she was seeing; to Kara kneeling over her, gently lowering Alex so her head was cradled in Kara's lap.

"Hey, Alex, are you okay?" Kara asked and her voice was so concerned and so… _so real._ That Alex felt tears pricking in her eyes because she missed Kara so much.

"Kara?" she choked.

"Yeah, Alex. It's me, it's me. I'm here."

Alex shook her head. "You're dead. Everyone said that you died."

"No, I just… It's complicated. You remember The Flash? I got pulled over to his Earth. It's okay though, they figured out how to get me back here. I can explain more later."

Alex bit her lip and reached out touching Kara's face then moving her fingers to curl around a piece of Kara's hair. A smile cracked across Alex's face and she laughed for the first time in months. "It's really you. Oh my God, it's you."

Alex pulled away and sat up, the ache of her injuries dulled entirely by the relief and jubilance alive in her veins. She tugged Kara into a hug, sinking into the feeling of Kara's heart and the movement of her lungs – filling her with air, filling her with life.

It's how the DEO found them, ten minutes later when back up finally arrived. The sisters stayed close together as medics examined Alex, diagnosing her with a broken clavicle and bruised rib in addition to some other scrapes and bumps.

Alex managed to talk her way out of a hospital visit and the girls found themselves in Alex's apartment half an hour later with pizza and doughnuts.

"I can't believe you're really back," Alex said as she eased herself into a seat at her kitchen counter.

"It's good to be here. I missed you so much. It was crazy," Kara said and took a bite out of her doughnut.

"God, life was terrible without you, Kara. I mean it was awful. Some of the worst two months of my life." Alex put her pizza down and pushed it away, pulling a hand through her hair.

"Well I'm here to stay. Barry still didn't figure out exactly how it happened. I got pulled over with him somehow. I spent every second there try to get back here. I was never going to leave you."

Kara saw the corners of Alex's lips pull downward and she knew her sister was about to cry. Maybe words weren't what Alex needed right now.

Kara slipped from her chair and wrapped her arms around Alex, pulling her into a hug that was simultaneously the softest and tightest embrace Alex had ever felt.

Finally, all at once, every worry, every wound up ache inside her broke out, manifesting in sobs and tears that wet Kara's light pink shirt. The brunette hiccupped and gasped as Kara kissed her hair and rubbed her back.

"I-I never told Eliza that you were gone," Alex admitted. "I hadn't done it yet, because I c-couldn't believe it. I woul-wouldn't believe you were gone."

"And you were right," Kara said with a smile. "You were right and everything's okay."

Alex nodded, pulling away from Kara and making a futile attempt to wipe her eyes. Kara squeezed her sister's hand and tried to hide a yawn.

"Tired?" Alex asked, already moving out of the chair.

"A little."

Alex wrapped an arm around Kara, keeping her close against her side. "Me too."

"Oh, right! Alex, you're supposed to be getting rest because of all your injuries. I promised the medics I'd take care of you."

Alex smiled slightly. "I'm fine. It's no big deal."

Kara rolled her eyes and led her sister to the couch, sitting and curling beside her. "That's ridiculous."

Alex shook her head. The pain meds she'd received earlier were making her languid and fatigued, her eyes drooping as she fought sleep. She didn't want their conversation to end; didn't want to miss a single second of being near Kara. She wanted to spend every moment possible soaking up her sister's presence: her appearance and her voice and her words.

Instead, Alex felt her eyes close as she leaned against Kara and slipped her fingers around Kara's hand, with every intention to hold it throughout the night just to make sure Kara didn't fade away; just to make sure she was real.


	4. Chapter 4 - Medical Check Up

**A/N:** Thank you everyone for your incredible response and enthusiasm - you guys are awesome! Just so you know, I put the prompt poll up on my profile, so you can go over there and vote for which chapter you'd like me to write next. Any other prompts you submit will get added to the poll too. :)

Also, I wrote the majority of this chapter in two hours because I really wanted to post it tonight for you, so if you see any errors feel free to let me know and I'll gladly correct them.

This chapter is based of a prompt from a guest: **Kara is scared about her medical checkup and Alex staying with her through it**

* * *

Kara had been missing for fifty two hours, held captive by anti-alien conspiracists when the DEO was able to recover her.

The criminals were quickly detained, leaving the agents to search the dark halls of the basement for Supergirl. She was located within a few minutes, in the corner of a dank room, housing green kryptonite. The floor was coated in thick layers of dust, the air sharp with cold.

Kara was a weak, shaking, shivering mess when the agents approached.

"Alex…" she choked out, squinting into the brightness of the agent's flashlights. "I need Alex," she murmured.

"I'm here," a voice called from the doorway. "I'm right here," Alex said, kneeling beside Kara, putting a hand on each of the girl's trembling shoulders.

Kara peeked her eyes open and gave a heavy sigh of relief when she saw Alex was really there.

"Alex," she whispered again and made a shaky move to stand up. Instead, barely stood a foot until she collapsed back down, Alex's arm grabbed her, holding her up before she hit the ground.

Kara pulled her eyes shut and wheezed out a breath, her heartrate speeding.

"Kara?"

"I'm okay. I'm okay. I just—" she trailed off and Alex rubbed her shoulder.

"I can stand," Kara said, easing herself up slowly and more carefully than the first time. Alex rose with her, offering support and helping keep Kara steady.

"Thanks," Kara murmured, leaning against Alex.

The older sister nodded and tightened her grip, noting the way Kara clung to her. The need seemed more than physical, there was an anxiety, a nervousness that was driving Kara closer. "You okay to walk?"

Kara gave a soft 'yeah' in response, flinching as an agent stepped close by. Alex's eyes flicked toward the movement and she furrowed her brows in concern.

She waved the rest of the agents out of the room, until it was just the two of them and Kara seemed to calm considerably.

"What happened?" Alex asked gently as they made their way through the door and out into the hall.

"Nothing," Kara said. "Just tired after everything that happened. I don't know how they got it, but there was so much green kryptonite and I - I was afraid I was going to die. Just when I thought I was going to die, they- they took away, only to bring it back before I could recover com – completely. There was so much and I couldn't do anything."

Alex hated the strain in Kara's voice, the way each word was followed by a breathy gasp. She wished there was a way to just hug Kara so tightly everything would go away. "Alex, I don't feel good," Kara said, and the quiver in her voice told Alex her sister was about to cry.

She knew it was the fatigue, the painful effects of the green kryptonite, and stress of the situation that were pulling on Kara, all adding up and making the girl feel miserable.

"I know," Alex said, gently stroking Kara's arm as they climbed the stairs, and pressing a quick kiss to her hair. "We're almost out of here. You'll feel better once we're away from all this stuff."

"Okay," Kara responded, soothed by Alex's tone.

They emerged from the building moments later, a fatigued and languid Kara could barely keep her eyes open as she stumbled out the door and doctors began to make their way over.

"The medics are going to check you over before we do anything else."

Kara's head snapped up, moving off of Alex's shoulder. "No," she said, shaking her head, eyes wide. "I'm fine."

"Kara," Alex said softly. "You're not fine. You're limping, you wince anytime something brushes your side, you can barely stay standing, and you were just exposed to kryptonite for a potentially fatal amount of time.

"Don't wanna do it," Kara muttered and turned to bury her head against Alex's shoulder.

"Kara," Alex huffed, pulling away slightly.

Kara just moved closer. "Please, Alex. Please don't make me do it."

The desperation and fear lacing Kara's words made Alex pause and tell the doctor's to hold for a minute. Kara wasn't trying to be difficult. She was scared. Her pulse was racing, her breath warm and quick against Alex's neck, and tears pricking at the corner of her eyes as Kara fought to keep them at bay.

"Please," she whispered again, making Alex hug her close and rub her back in slow, soothing circles.

"Hey, no one's going to hurt you. Not anymore," Alex said. "The doctors are just going to help you feel better and make sure everything's okay."

Kara sobbed in reply and Alex knew there was more behind this, more thoughts and fears bubbling over, stimulated by her kidnapping and the hurt that was left in response.

"I'll be right there with you the whole time," Alex promised and raised a hand to stroke Kara's hair.

"You will?" Kara asked, sniffling and pulling back enough to look up at Alex.

"Of course," Alex said with a smile that gave Kara the strength to wipe her tears.

Alex led them over the emergency medical vehicle the DEO had designed specifically for Supergirl. Within a second, the doctors were buzzing around Kara, moving her onto a stretcher and hooking her up to various machines. Kara recoiled with each movement. It was too much. Loud clangs filled the air and strict voices spoke medical jargon foreign to her ears. Doctors bustled around and a tangle of wires formed a web around her. The horrible, suffocating feeling that she was drowning and helpless fell over her and she was back to the night the criminals had emerged from the darkness, weakening her with Green K before taking her away.

It was like she couldn't see; couldn't breathe.

"Heartrate increasing," Kara heard, but the voice sounded jumbled and distant and she felt herself slipping deeper.

Everything was cold. And then breaking through, was a little bit of warmth, a comforting present wrapping around her hand and squeezing gently; and Alex's voice peeked through the darkness, telling the doctors to slow down; telling Kara everything was all right.

Once everything stopped moving so fast, Kara opened her eyes and saw Alex smiling at her. "You're okay," Alex said. "Still right here."

Kara nodded and managed a small smile, coming back down. It was silent for a few moments before Kara spoke up. "When this is over, can we just sit on my couch and watch movies for, like, a year?"

Alex laughed and ran her hand up and down Kara's arm. "Sure," she said. "It's your pick, sister. But after all the rest I'm going to make sure you get, I don't know if you'll want to sit any longer."

Kara gave an exaggerated groan.

"It's 'cause I love you," Alex said.

Kara wrinkled her nose. "I love you too, even when you make me follow every single instruction from doctors."

Alex smirked, pulling Kara into a quick hug, around all the wires and doctors. "I'm glad you're okay and I'm glad you're coming home, safe and sound," the oldest Danvers sister whispered.

"Me too," Kara said softly. "Thanks for coming and getting me."

"Always," Alex said and Kara felt incredibly and impossibly lucky to have a sister like her.


	5. Chapter 5 - Kara Gets Injured

**A/N:** Thanks for all the response to this story, it means a lot! The poll has been updated, so feel free to head over to my profile page and vote for the next prompt. You can also send in prompts, if there's something you'd like me to write. :)

A few quick things...

1\. In regards to future prompts/chapters, is there anyone specific you guys ship Kara with? I didn't really ship Kara with anyone until I saw The Flash/Supergirl crossover and now I'm a huge shipper of the two...

2\. Also, prompts can be Alex-centric, too, or even about Kara/Alex sister-ness when Kara first arrived. I'm totally willing to try that out.

Anyway, this chapter was inspired by a prompt from Anna: **Kara gets injured badly during a Supergirl fight and Alex being the overprotective and caring older sister.**

Thanks for the awesome prompt! I hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay, Kara?" Alex asked as they slowed to a stop at a red light.

Alex looked over at her sister, slumped in the passenger seat with her head pressed against the glass. Kara muttered out a yes, hissing slightly as she tried to readjust her position.

"Kara," Alex said sternly, reluctantly pulling her eyes off the blonde when the light turned green.

"I'm fine, Lexie. Please, can we just go home?" Kara tilted her head back, pressing it against her seat and breathing slowly.

"I really wish you would have let us check you out more thoroughly."

Kara tentatively shook her head, trying not to agitate the pounding that pulsated through her brain. "They're busy with the prisoners. All my vitals are okay."

Alex's knuckles were white against the steering wheel. "Yeah, but, Kara, you blew out your powers again, and this time it was in the middle of a fight. I know you say you're okay, but you're _always_ saying you're okay, even when you're not and - "

"Alex, please," Kara pleaded, half groan, half wince – laced with enough desperation and pain that Alex had to fight the instinct urging her to turn back and drive straight to the DEO, but the rational part of her was loud enough to keep the car moving steadily toward Kara's apartment. After the last incident, Alex had worked to develop a drug that would hopefully restore Kara's powers quicker than the first time. Until it started affecting her system, they would just have to wait it out.

The medics had reassured Alex (at least five times) that none of Kara's injuries were life threatening. Sure, they were going to hurt like hell, but once Kara got her powers back the fractures and gashes and bruises would heal quickly. So Alex had been instructed to take care of Kara and contact the DEO if there were any drastic changes in her condition.

Alex reached out, taking Kara's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"We're almost home," the older sister promised and Kara nodded with closed eyes.

Alex opened her mouth to say something else but decided against it. Kara already knew that Alex wanted them to go back to the DEO, and one look at Kara's face told Alex that her sister didn't need to hear it. Nor, did it look like Kara would even register the words. Her bottom lip was pulled between her teeth and she bit down hard. Her head was cradled in her right hand, while her left hand, beneath a splint and series of bandages, was gingerly pressed against her stomach.

Alex's hand covered Kara's left one, gently brushing Kara's warm skin with her thumb, through the wrap. "Ready?" Alex asked as she pulled up to the entrance of Kara's apartment building.

"Need to park first," Kara mumbled sleepily.

"I know," Alex said. "I'll drop you off and you can wait in the lobby so you don't have to walk from the parking garage. I'll be back in less than five minutes."

Kara shook her head, sniffling slightly. "It's only a block away. I wanna stay with you."

"I know, but you're not really in the position to walk right now. It's only going to make things hurt more."

"I don't care," Kara said.

"Okay," Alex sighed and moved her hand to rub Kara's shoulder softly as she pulled back into the street.

A few minutes later Alex parked the car, glancing over to find Kara asleep, curled loosely in the passenger seat. Alex smiled at her little sister for a moment, mind filling with memories of road trips and early morning rides to high school. On road trips especially, Kara's excitement would hype her up, she'd talk a mile a minute, gazing out the window – enamored by the world. Even at six in the morning or eleven thirty at night, after hours of driving, Kara was awake with eyes full of wonder and head full of thoughts. Sometimes, Kara's zeal at ungodly hours had earned her a pillow in the face from Alex or a groan of 'shut up,' but it was always good natured, tending to encourage Kara's rants rather than stop them.

The sight of her little sister asleep in the car pulled a smile across Alex's face as she opened Kara's door, affectionately combing a hand through Kara's hair. Sleepy Kara always reminded Alex of just-landed-on-Earth Kara, and it made the older Danvers sister feel all warm and fuzzy inside and overwhelmed with the impulse to keep Kara safe.

Alex leaned closer to Kara. "We're here, baby. Time to get up."

Kara stirred slightly, eyes opening with a sharp intake of breath as her body stiffened.

"Alex," she groaned.

"Yeah, I'm here. I'm right here," Alex said, kneeling beside the open door. "What's wrong?"

"I feel like I'm going to throw up."

Alex stood up and stroked Kara's hair. "That's not entirely uncommon with fractures, and you've racked up a few of those today. Do you think you can make it or do you want to stay here for a while?"

Kara sniffled again. "I can do it," she said as she pulled her head off Alex's side and made a shaky, but successful, attempt to ease herself out of the seat.

"Come on, my sweet baby sister," Alex said, holding her arm open, allowing Kara to tuck herself beneath it and lean against her.

Alex locked the car, tapping the door closed before leading Kara through the parking garage.

As they approached Kara's apartment, her labored breathing filled the silent hall. Alex cringed as her sister took in a slow, painful breath followed by a suppressed whimper.

"It's the broken rib," Alex explained, reverting to science and facts in an attempt to help rationalize her concern. "Breathing's going to hurt a bit until you get your powers back. I have some pain meds from the DEO that should make you feel a little better."

Kara nodded weakly and made the final four steps to reach her apartment.

"Touchdown," Alex said as she helped Kara onto the couch, pulling a small smile out of her little sister. "You stay right here, I'll be back in a minute."

Alex began to stand up from the coffee table when Kara reached out and grabbed Alex's shirt. "Don't go."

"I'll be right back, I promise." Alex hesitated for a moment before she gently pulled Kara's hand off her shirt and gave it a soft squeeze.

She returned a moment later, arms overflowing with the various supplies she'd gathered from Kara's apartment and her own bag. "Take these," Alex said, extending a few white pills to Kara and a glass of water.

She watched as Kara swallowed the medicine and handed the cup to Alex, slowly leaning back into the couch. "There's not much we can do for the broken rib," Alex said. "But some ice should help."

After spending a full minute making sure the ice was perfectly settled on Kara's rib, Alex stepped back. "That feel okay?"

Kara offered a nod, her eyes drooping.

"And your wrist is still wrapped up?"

Kara responded with another nod.

"Anything else I can do to help?"

"You can get over here. I want my sister Alex, no more doctor Alex," Kara murmured. "You could also bring a blanket. The fuzzy blue one. With polka dots," Kara added with a small smile.

Alex rolled her eyes and returned Kara's smile. She grabbed the requested blanket and sat down beside her sister.

Immediately, Kara snuggled against Alex, ignoring the pain in her ribs in favor of cuddling as close to her sister as possible. She was practically half on Alex when the oldest Danvers laughed, brows furrowed and a smirk tugging across her lips.

"Kara, what are you doing?" Alex asked, running a hand through her sister's blonde hair.

"Tryin' to get closer to you," she mumbled as though it were obvious, her voice muffled by Alex's shoulder.

"Then get over here. Just be careful not to hurt yourself, please," Alex said with a grin at Kara's sleepy clinginess, wondering just how strong those pain meds were.

"Oh, perfect," Alex said when Kara had, quite literally, positioned herself on Alex's lap. With a soft laugh, Alex placed her chin on top of Kara's head. Kara sunk back against her sister with a soft sigh and covered Alex's hands with her good one, where they were resting across her stomach, keeping the ice in place.

"Still feel like you're going to throw up?"

Kara nodded. "A little," she said, making a move to turn toward Alex and nestle against her. She winced sharply, freezing mid twist.

Alex felt concern growing heavier inside her. "Hey," she said softly. "What's wrong?"

Kara had put on a brave face at the DEO as the medics checked her out; kept herself together as they wrapped, stitched, and bandaged her up. But Alex was her safe place. Alone with just her sister, Kara could unravel. She didn't have to be bulletproof. She didn't have to be made of steel. She just had to be Kara. And with Alex, it was okay if Kara shook and cried and didn't seem so perfect. It was okay if she broke a little, because Alex always knew how to put her back together. The medicine was making her tired and vulnerable and honest; and her voice was breathy and on the brink of tears, as she choked out a soft, "It hurts."

Alex frowned and tucked some hair behind Kara's ear. "I know. But you'll feel better soon," Alex soothed. "Can you show me where?"

"It hurts here the most," Kara mumbled, motioning to her left side with a weak gesture.

Alex moved out from beneath her sister, careful not to jar Kara or aggravate her injures any further.

"Here?" Alex asked, kneeling in front of Kara, hand hovering over the ice.

The blonde nodded, chewing on her bottom lip as she fought the tears pooling in her eyes.

Alex gently moved the ice off Kara, discarding it on the other side of the couch. She looked up at her little sister, heart breaking at the pain etched across Kara's features.

"I'm going to lift up your shirt and take a look, okay?"

"Okay," Kara said with a sniffle.

Alex pulled up the navy fabric, suppressing a grimace at the red and blue bruise that bloomed across Kara's side, expanding beyond her broken rib and reaching down toward her hip. On her lower right abdomen, stitches stood out against another group of contusions.

Alex lightly traced the discolored area, swallowing away the memories of Kara collapsing, falling as her powers gave out and the prisoners advanced on her. "Kara, why didn't you tell the medics about this?"

"They saw it," Kara managed to get out, glancing down at her stomach before looking away and swallowing hard. "It didn't look like that."

"Sometimes it takes a while for bruises to show up, especially if the injury's deeper. Oh, Kara, how did this happen?" Alex breathed out in a sigh and Kara wasn't quite sure which thing she was referring to, so she stayed quiet and shrugged as best she could.

Alex moved her hand to another contusion as guilt knotted in her stomach.

Kara gasped, suddenly flinching back.

Alex pulled her hand away as if she'd been burned. "Kara, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"No, it's okay," Kara reassured her. "It just tickled and then I got squirmy."

Alex looked unconvinced, guilt evident on her features. "I'm going to get you some more ice, for the other side. Then I'll call the DEO, see if there's any other medicine I can give you. Is there anything else I can do to make you feel better?" Alex rambled, beginning to pace around the coffee table. "Are you hungry? Do you want me to make anything?"

"Alex."

"I could get you something to drink? Pajamas. Pajamas might make you feel better. I could -"

"Alex."

" – I could put on a movie, it might help distract you. Or I can –"

"Alex!"

The brunette finally paused, changing direction mid step to face Kara.

"You're totally freaking out and it's starting to freak me out too. I'm _fine_ ," she said from the couch. "I think the medicine's starting to work. It doesn't hurt as much."

Alex had a hand tangled in her hair, eyes wide with concern, brows pulling down. "Really?"

Kara nodded eagerly. "See," Kara said as she straightened up. "I can breathe like a normal person." She took a deep breath, wincing slightly at the end. "… well, mostly like a normal person. But it's getting better and I can't even _feel_ my wrist."

Alex exhaled slowly. "You're sure you're doing better?"

"Yeah," Kara said, trying to ignore the pain throbbing in her side and do her best to put a smile on her face, but Alex easily saw through it.

"It still hurts, though?" Alex said softly, more a statement than a question.

The blonde gave a small nod, averting her eyes.

"How 'bout we get you to bed?" Alex said with a sympathetic smile, pulling herself together and watching briefly as the sun began to dip below the horizon.

Kara responded with a meek yawn, pulling the blanket tighter around her body.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Alex eased her sleepy sister off the couch, steering her unsteady, battered limbs to the bedroom. It took a few minutes, some minor struggles, and a bit of colorful language from the eldest sister, but eventually Alex had helped Kara change into pajamas and settled her on the bed with a mountain of pillows situated behind her.

"Good?"

"Mhmm," Kara mumbled, eyes already closed. "You're staying, right?"

"Of course," Alex said and climbed into bed. Somehow, with as little movement as possible and without opening her eyes, Kara managed to press herself against Alex's side, letting out a sigh of content when Alex wrapped an arm around her.

Alex hadn't even finished running through the events of the day before Kara fell asleep. Alex looked at her sister, a shuddery breath escaped the brunette's lips and that's when she began to cry.

Hot and heavy tears pooled in her eyes, slipped over, and fell into her sister's blonde hair. Tears that Alex hadn't even know she'd been holding back.

Alex Danvers didn't cry often, but when she did, she cried hard.

So hard, that she had to move off the bed, slipping out from under Kara and disappearing into the living room where she sunk to the floor; how close they'd been to losing Kara finally catching up with the agent.

It was dark outside when Alex managed to reign in her tears, hiccupping softly as she pushed herself off the ground and wiped her eyes. She went to check on Kara, sliding back beside the girl and readjusting the blankets so Kara was tucked in.

Subconsciously, Kara gravitated toward Alex, seeking out her sister's warmth.

Kara peeked into awareness, looking up at Alex and instantly noting her red eyes and the soft tremble of her lip. Kara knew exactly what that meant.

"You've been crying," she said quietly, immediately reaching out and brushing the last few tears off Alex's cheeks.

Alex captured Kara's hand in her own, giving it a soft squeeze and memorizing the feeling of Kara's warm, soft skin and the rhythmic beat of her pulse. "Don't worry about it. I'm okay," Alex whispered. "Go back to sleep."

"Did something bad happen?" Kara asked, her voice and eyes heavy with exhaustion.

"No, sweetie. Nothing else. I was just worried about you." Alex ran a hand through Kara's hair, internalizing the ache she felt at the bruises and cuts on Kara's face.

"Oh." Kara made a soft noise and snuggled against Alex. "Well you don't need to worry, 'cause I'm always good when I'm with you."

Alex buried her face in Kara's hair, willing herself not to cry at Kara's medicine and sleep induced sweet words. "I love you, baby girl."

"I love you, too," Kara parroted back. "Don't worry about me."

Alex pulled back slightly and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Kara's ear. "Impossible," she promised, and saw Kara was already asleep against her.


	6. Chapter 6 - Alex Killed Astra Aftermath

**A/N:** Mondays without Supergirl just don't feel right, do they?

Special thanks to Kakashi316 for the prompt, **An aftermath of Kara and Alex after she told her she killed Astra.**

Also, the prompt poll has been refreshed and updated so head over there and cast your new votes if you'd like. :)

Thanks for all your enthusiasm and support!

* * *

It was after the typical buzz of the DEO had thinned and Hank had left, that Kara loosened her grip on Alex.

The brunette responded by squeezing Kara tighter, letting out another soft sob.

"Oh, Alex," Kara breathed quietly, tugging her sister back into a firm embrace. Alex hiccupped quietly. Her fingers were still curled into loose fists, one of them half tangled in Kara's hair. She was warm and tangible in Kara's arms, her stomach heaving against Kara with every sharp and shuddery breath, gasping for air.

Inside Kara, a thousand emotions were rising, fighting each other for dominance, but she couldn't sort them out, couldn't determine how she was supposed to feel. The only thing she knew for sure was that the sight of Alex crying and falling apart in front of Kara was enough to outweigh the confusion and hurt and anger simmering in the blonde.

Minutes passed before Alex's tears slowed and faded into a small series of sniffles. She pulled back, immediately dropping her head and shoving a hand across her cheeks in an attempt to erase the tear tracks that stained her skin.

She stole a glance at Kara and it was impossible for the younger sister to ignore the way the harsh lights of the DEO caught the tear tracks shining across Alex's face.

"Come on," Kara said, taking Alex's hand in her own. "Let's go somewhere better than this."

She led her sister through halls of the DEO, turning and moving until they were outside.

"Wanna fly?" Kara asked and Alex gave a pitiful, minute nod.

It was strange, Kara thought, as she pushed off the ground, to see Alex so distraught and meek. It was like seeing a dead tree with its branches bare in the middle of autumn, with everything so typically vibrant and fierce.

They were so close together that Kara barely had to use her super hearing to listen to Alex's heart rate slow and even out as they dipped across the city. The wind was blowing in Alex's ears, making it impossible to hear anything else, but if she paid attention she swore she could feel Kara's heart own beating. Alex swallowed hard, guilt was weighty in her stomach and just wanted Kara to understand why she'd done everything.

It'd been a long time since Alex had flown with Kara, and she'd forgotten how much she liked it. The air was cool on her face and from so high up, everything seemed small and perfect. Kara was holding Alex tightly and the proximity was grounding her.

They flew through the city and keep moving until buildings merged and morphed into twinkling lights and golden windows and black silhouettes on a midnight blue sky.

Finally Kara slowed and Alex felt her shoes press into soft grass as Kara lowered them to the ground.

Alex immediately recognized the area – a small mountain on the outskirts of National City. Kara used to come there when she was overwhelmed or conflicted, even before she became Supergirl. During a particularly bad day, when Kara had shut down and shut her sister out, Alex had followed Kara up the mountain, tracked down her car where it was left on the side of the dirt road and found Kara sitting under a tree, looking out at National City. It'd become their place after that. Despite the darkness of night and Alex's months since visiting, she still knew the land, could walk to the tree blindfolded if she had to.

They sat cross-legged in the grass leaning against the tree, an uncharacteristic gap between them screaming in the stagnant, silent night.

Alex turned to Kara, the light of the moon reflecting in her hair. "Kara, I'm really sorry this had to happen."

The brunette watched, throat tight as Kara took a deep breath. When she faced Alex, there were tears sparkling in the younger sister's eyes. "You're my sister and I love you so much, Alex. I know that there's… there's more to family than just blood. You've shown me that. But when Astra died, I felt like…"

"…like you lost your ties to Krypton?" Alex tried when Kara trailed off and broke eye contact.

Kara shook her head, looking down again. "Maybe, sort of, but it was more than that. It was like watching my planet burn all over again. It was like having stupid, blind hope only to have it ripped away in a matter of days." She sniffled and wiped her nose absentmindedly with the back of her hand, appearing so much to Alex like a little kid. "Astra was family. She was the only one I had left," Kara paused, giving a small hiccup. "I feel like I'm losing everyone, Alex" Kara admitted, her voice cracking in a horrible cry.

Alex felt like she'd been punched. Her stomach twisted and she had to fight the urge to cry with Kara, because Alex wasn't enough. How could she be, when Kara's life had been perfect until it was all torn apart and she was sent spiraling toward earth carrying such a heavy burden?

"I know we're not your family from Krypton," Alex began, "and I know maybe we're not enough or everything you need us to be but-"

"That's not true," Kara interjected, a sudden fierceness in her words. Alex looked up, saw Kara shaking her head. "You're wrong. You're so wrong. You and Eliza and Jerimiah are the best thing that's happened to me on Earth and you have _never_ let me down. Not ever. You were better than anything I could have ever asked for…"

Alex shook her head, wiping away tears as guilt swelled in her chest. "Kara, don't say that. I don't deserve for you to be so nice."

"Alex, you have to understand, this isn't your fault. I forgive you. I realized that my… my anger was just a mask for all the pain and the hurt I've been feeling for all these years and when I saw Astra lying there dying on the ground, all that grief just resurfaced…"

Without thought, Alex closed the space between them, wrapping Kara in the warmest, biggest hug she'd felt in a long time. Alex pulled Kara impossibly closer, rocking them softly in the grass under the bright, full moon.

"I'm so sorry," Alex whispered into Kara's blonde hair.

Kara shook her head, burying closer against her sister. "It's so hard to live without them," she muttered against Alex's collarbone. "It's so hard sometimes."

Alex rubbed a hand across her own forehead, frowning as she squeezed Kara. "I know. I know and I'm so sorry," Alex said quietly, repeating it over and over again.

"I'm not alone though?" Kara said, a question more than a statement.

"No," Alex muttered against Kara, looking out at the city, its lights sparkling and mixing with the stars in the sky. "Never alone," she promised.


	7. Chapter 7 - Alex Gets Tortured

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone for sticking with this story! You guys are the greatest.:) If you haven't already, you can vote on the poll for the next chapter. Also, if you're reading as a guest and would like to vote, you can just tell me which of the prompts you want in a review and I'll add it with the other votes. :)

Today's prompt comes from Rachel, **Alex gets tortured and Kara tries to help her through it.**

* * *

When they find Alex she isn't moving, at least not as far as they can tell. Her back is turned to them and she blends into the dark, windowless room, still clad in the tactical uniform she was wearing when she disappeared one month ago.

At the sound of footsteps, Alex curls into herself further, gingerly pushing a hand to the gash across her abdomen and tries to press further into the wall.

"Alex," Kara says, a soft unbelieving whisper as she breaks through the wall of DEO agents, taking quiet steps toward her sister. Alex doesn't react to her name.

Finally, Kara reaches Alex, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Alex, it's me. It's Kara."

Alex squeezes her eyes closed before she opens them and turns around. She shoots up, arms outstretched to Kara, seeking comfort, but the chains on her limbs, the weakness in her bones, the injured, burning, aching pain in her body teams up with gravity and tugs her back down to the cold concrete. Kara drops to her knees and pulls Alex into a hug. Alex heaves huge, heavy sobs that send pain coursing through her body and makes her cry harder, so she clings to Kara because her sister is here and everything hurts, and it's hurt for so long that she barely knows any different, but with Kara by her side, Alex sees a ghost of what it's like not to feel so bad.

She can't hear much, all the commotion exploding in the room is overwhelming after the weeks she's spent being tortured. She wants to close her eyes, but she learned that closing her eyes only takes away the ability to anticipate blows and only makes things worse. It's been so long since she's seen light and now that it's here it burns.

It's all making her breath catch in her throat. Kara holds her, whispers soothingly to Alex as someone comes over and cuts the chains from Alex. It's supposed to set her free.

/

They're back at the DEO within two hours and it takes another few for the medics to finish examining and treating Alex. Under the harsh lights of the DEO, she looks even worse – sickly thin and pale, with dark circles under her eyes from fatigue or bruising, maybe both. She threw up on the way over and stuck as close to Kara as the doctors would allow.

A vacant expression had settled across her face and she still hasn't said a word.

A doctor is performing the last of Alex's stitches, concluding with the twenty fifth loop. Alex is squeezing Kara's hand impressively hard for her current state, and it must be excruciating because between her wrist and the tips of her fingers alone Alex has sustained six fractures – two transverse, one greenstick and three hairline.

The rest of her body is the same, wracked with fractures and bruises and deep cuts.

Kara feels anger, hot in her stomach, and there's a part of her that wants to reciprocate every injury onto the man that tortured Alex; however, she gently pries Alex's tight grip from her hand, running her fingers over the bandages on Alex's arm. "Please don't hurt yourself anymore," Kara says. "It's okay. You're going to be okay."

She pulls back for a moment, waving J'onn over and whispering something to him.

"Please," she adds with a meek smile. "It's on the chair. You'll know it when you see it."

He nods and heads to the door. "I'll be right back."

Two, maybe three, minutes later he returns, looking a little ridiculous with the fuzzy blanket in his arms. It has the periodic table printed across the fabric and the sight of it makes Kara smile, sending a hopeful look at Alex.

Kara thanks J'onn as he passes the blanket to her, an eyebrow raised.

"What?"

"Periodic table?" he asks, face amused.

"Alex is a dork," Kara explains with a fond shrug, tucking the blanket around her sister affectionately.

J'onn smiles. "The doctors told me you can bring her home now," he said, turning to leave the room. "Take care of her, Supergirl."

Once they're alone, Kara refocuses all her attention back to Alex. "Hear that? We can finally get you home. My apartment or yours?" she asks, hoping that Alex might say something.

Instead, Kara's met with silence and some desperate, pleading look in Alex's tired eyes.

/

Alex stares blankly at the food Kara's placed in front of her. The IV drip the DEO had her hooked up to rehydrated Alex and gave her the nutrients she needed, but Kara had still expected her to eat _something_.

She waits another minute before putting the fruit back into the fridge. Kara feels tears burning in her eyes. She's so completely helpless, she doesn't know what to do for Alex. She pushes her tears away, begging herself to pull it together for her big sister.

"How about some water?" Kara asks, putting a glass in front of Alex. She ignores that, too, until Kara places the cup in Alex's unbroken hand and guides it to her sister's lips. Food can wait, but the doctors had stressed to Kara that Alex needed to stay hydrated.

Alex finally swallows before downing the rest of the cup. A sigh of relief slips from Kara. "Small sips," she reminds softly as Alex tentatively drinks half of the next cup Kara brings her. The act isn't much, but it's progress at least.

Kara threads her fingers gently through Alex's hair. It's soft now, after it got washed when the doctors cleaned her wounds and patched her up.

Alex leans into Kara's touch. "I love you," Kara says and Alex snuggles a little closer, shutting her eyes, and Kara knows that even without words they can still talk.

/

Kara wakes up to Alex's whimpers as she rolls in the bed, trashing against the sheets with weary limbs.

"It's just a dream," Kara says, as she rubs her eyes and moves to wake Alex up. Without meaning to, Kara's hand slips and she presses against one of Alex's stitches. It sends hot pain shooting down Alex's side. She tries to sit up, yelping in pain as Kara scrambles back, pulling her hands away. She's always had less control of her powers and strength when she wakes up late at night or early in the morning, when sleep still has its grasps on her.

"I'm sorry. Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Alex. Are you okay? I – I didn't mean to hurt you." Kara's feet are cold against the floor as she glances at Alex; a sobbing, rocking shadow of Alex.

Hovering near the door, Kara gathers a bundle of hair in her hand, letting out a slow breath. She sniffles. "I'm sorry I'm not doing a good job of helping you feel better, but maybe your mom can. I'm going to grab my phone and call her so she can talk to you," Kara says, having spoken to Eliza earlier and filled her in on the situation.

Kara turns to leave when a soft, raspy voice came from the darkness.

Kara freezes.

Alex talks.

"Stay," she cries. "Please don't go. Please, please stay," she manages.

Kara's stunned for a moment and then she's at Alex's side in an instant, tears of relief spilling from the blonde's eyes. "Okay," she says. "I'll stay. I'll stay forever if you want me to."

"Don't go. I need you. P-please don't leave me," Alex cries again.

"Never. I'll never leave you."

Alex throws her arms around Kara.

She's finally home.

/

"You're going to be fine, Alex," Kara says three months later, swiveling in a spinny chair situated in one of the DEO's labs.

"I never said I was worried," Alex responds, pausing mid-pace and crossing her arms.

Kara raised her brow skeptically. In half an hour, Alex will be leaving for her first official, full mission since her kidnapping; and she's barely sat, barely eaten, barely stilled all day. "You're totally freaking out. It's kind of obvious."

Alex rolls her eyes. "I am not."

"You're fidgeting."

" _Am not_."

"Are to."

Alex shoots Kara a dirty look, but drops her fingers from the hem of her shirt. Suddenly appearing a little lost.

Kara stands up, squeezing Alex in a side hug. "You're going to be great."

Alex shakes her head, relaxing against Kara. "I don't want to screw up again."

"Alexandra Danvers," Kara begins, making her sister laugh. "You are going to do fine. You've gone on hundreds of missions before, don't let one bad experience psych you out."

Alex nods. "Thanks, Kar."

The blonde beams, looping her arm through Alex's. "Come on, Big Sister. Let's go kick some ass."

"Aww, you're cursing for me," Alex says with a laugh as they leave the lab, nudging Kara with her elbow.

Kara grins. "For you, anything."


	8. Chapter 8 - Red K

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, follows, favorites, and reads! The poll has been updated so you can go vote for the next chapter if you'd like.

I tried to get this chapter out as soon as possible for you guys, so I didn't get to proofread it as many times as I normally do. If you find any errors, feel free to let me know and I'll gladly correct them. :)

Also, just so you know, I diverged a bit from the Red K episode storyline with this chapter. Kara didn't cause as much damage to the city, therefore most of her attention is on Alex. The prompt came from a guest, as follows: **An alternative storyline involving Red K where Alex didn't suspect Kara was under a mind-altering drug? Kara attacks Alex but Alex assumes that it was because of Astra, and Alex doesn't fight back or even call for help because she thought she deserved it.**

* * *

Alex felt the bite of the pavement as she was knocked down again by another blow. Gravel stung the back of her head. With a slow, painful movement she leaned to her side and spit out blood.

"Kara," she muttered looking up at her sister; dressed in all black, anger burning in her eyes.

"You killed her!" Kara yelled, delivering a sharp kick to Alex's side. "You took the only family I have left."

The blonde paced, toeing angrily at a pieces of the curb with enough force to send it crumbling to the ground. "And don't try to tell me that I still have you. You're not my sister. We are _not_ family. You've always hated me, since the minute I got here. And now you took the last person I had left… Why would you do that?"

Alex remained silent, only a slight groan escaping as she tried to readjust her position.

"Answer me!" Kara demanded, voice thick and trembling as she turned on her heel to face Alex.

She lowered her head, dropping her gaze. "I didn't want to. I just – I just reacted. She was going to kill J'onn and I couldn't… I couldn't let that happen."

Kara shook her head. "I think you did it because you're jealous of me. Because I will always be faster than you and stronger than you and better than you… Because without me, your life is nothing. It's meaningless."

Alex swallowed hard and didn't flinch away this time when Kara landed another kick to the brunette's abdomen, sending her off the pavement and into the brick wall of the apartment building. It was dark outside, the only source of light a dingy, yellow glow from the surrounding streetlamps. Water from a stale puddle soaked Alex's shoulder and mixed with crimson blood. With each shiver in the cold night air, Alex cringed, the movement sending sparks of pain through her body.

"You don't deserve me in your life," Kara said, "And I don't want you in mine."

She grabbed Alex's shirt by the collar and flung her to the other side of the alley.

Alex hit the wall with a crack, sinking to the ground with a gasp of pain.

" _You_ did this. _You_ tore us apart. So don't bother trying to find me. This is the last time we'll see each other."

Alex pressed her lips together. The pain in her heart was a thousand times greater than the pain radiating through her body. She pressed her head back against the brick wall, then flinched away, trying to find her voice.

Her breathing was shallow as Kara disappeared into the sky. Guilt was heavy in Alex's stomach, because Kara was right. This was all Alex's fault. Kara was mad and Alex didn't blame her.

She deserved it.

Each shuddery breath amplified the burning ache in her side, her ribs, her back and limbs and head. She focused on the pain, tried to absorb it all – feel every bruise and crack and scratch.

She deserved it.

She ruined everything. She failed to keep her eyes open, as her vision went spotty and turned black.

She _deserved_ it.

/

Some time passed, where pain was all Alex knew. She couldn't convince herself to reach for her phone or call for help because she couldn't dispel the voice in her head running in a continuous loop: _you deserve this._

It was still dark and she couldn't see, and then there were hands touching her and voices, and a few gaping minutes later blurs of red and blue were intruding her closed eyes. Her head was barely registering the motions and movements, until she couldn't feel anything at all; and somehow, the dark got darker.

/

There was a beep, and then another, and then a few more until the rhythm of a heartbeat established itself in Alex's ear.

She tried to open her eyes but the bright light flooded in, and they fell closed again.

Her mind was cloudy, her memories more fragmented and abstract than a fleeting dream. The harder she tried to remember, the more difficult it became.

/

When she woke again, there was a warm presence on her shoulder – a hand, large and calloused. She squinted through dark lashes, her head throbbing. "J'onn?"

"Alex, how're you feeling?" he asked, consciously keeping his voice quiet.

"Like shit," she said softly, wearing a small smirk and looking up at him with tired eyes. "What happened?"

He hesitated, shifting his gaze downward.

"What was it?" Alex persisted.

"You got hurt. Some civilians found you, called the ambulance and took you to the hospital. Kara and you... umm… you got in a fight, but…"

Alex closed her eyes, tears gathering in the corners as memories flooded her mind. "I remember." She pulled a hand through her hair. "Oh my god, I messed up. This is all my fault. We need… we need to find her. How could I let this happen?" She slammed a fist against the bed, immediately flinching.

J'onn grabbed her hand. "Hey, stop. Alex, you need to calm down. Kara's okay. She was under the influence of Red Kryptonite, we've cured her. She didn't know what she was saying."

Alex swallowed hard, shaking her head. "You didn't hear her…" The agent began to pull her legs toward her chest, before it caused pain to burn in her abdomen, sending her backward.

J'onn's voice was calm as he spoke and laid a gentle hand on Alex's arm, easing her down. "Alex, look out there. Tell me what you see."

Alex took a deep breath, peering through the window. In the corner of the glass she saw Kara's frame, bobbing in and out of sight with her back turned toward them, blonde waves bouncing slightly as she moved.

"She's been there for the past few hours, ever since the doctor's at the DEO cleared her. She's refusing to leave, even though she's terrified of seeing you – thinks you're going to hate her."

"No," Alex immediately spoke up. "No, I could never hate her."

"Want to tell her yourself?"

Alex nodded fiercely. "Thank you. And thanks for being here, too."

J'onn smiled. "I'm glad you're okay." He paused at door, lingering for a moment. "And remember, Alex, this wasn't your fault. I know you feel guilty right now, but you've got to let it go." He disappeared into the hall and Alex watched his interaction with Kara.

A few seconds later the door creaked open and shut softly behind Kara. Everything was still and silent for an instant, like the moment was suspend in the air as both girls made eye contact, each heavy with guilt.

Kara broke first, face falling almost straightaway as tears quickly turned to heaping sobs. "I'm sorry, Alex. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean any of it. I-I understand if you h-hate me, and I-"

Alex wiped away tears from her own eyes as Kara paused.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" the blonde asked with a hiccup. "Please s-say something, you-you usually don't let me ramble this long."

"It's 'cause I'm sorry, too," Alex said, fishing her arm out from beneath the hospital sheets and stretching it to Kara. "And I could really use a hug right now."

Kara sniffled and moved toward the hospital bed. "I can do that. I think… I think I want a hug, too," she said.

Alex slid over as quickly as she could with all the wires attached to her body. She lifted up the covers. "There's room."

Warmth filled the cold, stiff hospital sheets as Kara slipped underneath them and pulled Alex into the gentlest hug she could.

When they pulled apart Kara looked over Alex, noting each bruise, scratch, and bump.

"I can't believe I did this to you," Kara said, swallowing another sob as she softly touched a purple bruise blossoming on Alex's shoulder. "You had internal bleeding, but the doctors said you'll be okay. You got a concussion, too, and some stitches and oh god, I'm so sorry, Alex."

The older Danvers sister shook her head. " 's okay. There's some truth to what you said. I deserved it."

Kara's head shot up, looking horrified, her guilt forgotten at Alex's words. "You don't actually believe that do you?"

Alex shrugged, grimacing halfway through and lowering her shoulders.

"Alex, you never, ever deserve anything like this. You are the best thing that's happened to me on Earth. You're the best sister I could ask for and you're my best friend, and you do not deserve bad things."

"I killed Astra."

"…To save J'onn. I forgive you, Alex. I should be the one apologizing. I never wanted to hurt you. I didn't mean to," Kara said, more tears pooling in her eyes.

"It's okay," Alex said, pulling Kara down gently and tucking her against the agent's own side. Alex sniffled, tears falling into Kara's hair as she stroked the blonde waves.

"We're a mess," Kara muttered, her head sleepily nestled against Alex.

"Yeah, a little bit," Alex said, pressing a kiss into Kara's hair. "But we're a mess that's going to be okay."


	9. Chapter 9 - Kara Goes Temporarily Blind

Thank you for all the reads, favorites, follows, and reviews. Also, special thanks to all the guests that reviewed, and to those of you who submitted prompts, they have been added to the updated poll. Check it out and vote if you'd like!

Thank you Bia Moraes for the prompt that inspired this chapter: **A mission goes wrong causing Kara to lose her sight temporarily and Alex has to help her until she recovers.** It was so much fun to write.

I hope you enjoy it and I'd love to hear your thoughts!

* * *

"I can't see."

"What do you mean you can't see?"

"I _mean_ I literally can't see," Kara said from her position on the ground, sitting crisscross with her hands resting in her lap after the alien they were fighting had produced purple light from its eyes and aimed it directly at Kara.

" _Kara."_

 _"_ _Aleeeex,_ I'm serious. _"_

"Okay, okay… let me check," Alex said, shining a light in Kara's eyes and waiting for a reaction. Instead, she stared blankly in front of her.

With a surge of worry and muttered curse Alex clicked of the flashlight and turned to J'onn where he was fighting off the alien, filling in when Kara had stumbled down. "Hank," Alex called, being sure to use his pseudonym when they were around other people. "We have a problem."

He glanced over.

"Supergirl can't see."

At that, Kara smiled, looking almost proud, and waved in what she though was J'onn's direction. Instead, she was waving a solid ninety degrees to his left, her hand hitting Alex's leg.

J'onn gave Alex an all clear to go, letting her know that he and the rest of the DEO agents would finish up with the alien

Alex looked back down at Kara, taking her little sister's hand as she continued to wave.

"Okay," Alex said and patted Kara's shoulder before pulling the blonde to her feet. "Let's get you back to the DEO and figure out what's going to here."

"Got it," Kara said with a nod and started walking in the opposite direction.

Alex rolled her eyes and quickly put her arms on Kara's shoulders, redirecting her toward a DEO van. "It's this way, sweetheart."

"Right." Kara gave a determined nod and followed beside Alex, taking small, slow steps and clinging to her hand with as much dignity as possible.

It took an embarrassing ten minutes to walk to the car, but Alex didn't care. Kara's calm demeanor would wear off soon enough, and Alex needed to make sure she was okay.

In the hour long car ride back to the base Kara's rushed and nervous chatter had faded to silence by the time they reached the facility.

"Hey, we're here. You ready?" Alex said, opening the car door for Kara and helping her out.

Kara tucked herself under Alex's arm as they entered the base. It was loud, her superhearing especially active without her sight. The inability to see was starting to freak her out, it reminded her of the darkness of space when she was all alone in it; it reminded her of the phantom zone.

"You doing okay?" Alex asked, guiding them both down the hall.

Kara nodded, mussing her hair on Alex's tactical suit. The younger Danvers sniffled a little and pressed closer against Alex. "It's loud," Kara murmured.

Alex stroked Kara's hair, pulling her tighter. "We're almost there."

"Better?" Alex asked a moment later, leading them into the lab and closing the door.

Kara nodded, giving Alex a thanks and untangling herself from her big sister. Kara rubbed her eyes and wished she could see again. "It was kind of funny when this first happened, but now I'm a little scared," Kara said quietly.

"I know," Alex said as she sat Kara on the examination table. "But we'll fix it, until then we'll just hang out and I'll take care of you. No need to worry."

Kara nodded. "Thanks."

Alex smiled even though Kara couldn't see it. "Anytime, baby sister."

She shuffled around for a bit, looking over Kara's medical tests before the younger Danvers spoke up again. "Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm bored."

Alex sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not done examining you, but like I thought earlier, the effects of the alien's light are definitely temporary. It seems to be an extreme version of flash blindness, so I expect your vision should begin to return in a few hours."

"What am I going to do until then?"

"We'll go home. You should probably rest for a while," Alex said.

/

"What time is it?" Kara asked from her position on the couch, seated in her apartment.

"A little past 3:00"

Kara nodded, then stood up suddenly, nearly tripping. "Shoot! Alex, I need to go. I have to help Cat prep for _the_ most important meeting."

Alex put a hand on Kara's shoulder and pushed her back into a sitting position. "You are not going anywhere, Miss."

"No, Alex, you don't understand. I _have to_ go."

"Nothing's more important than your health," Alex said, thwarting another one of Kara's attempts to stand up. "Take it easy for-" Alex paused, interrupted by her phone's ringing.

She stepped away for a moment, pacing and pulling a hand through her hair as she talked. "Yeah… I understand… I know, I know… Okay… yeah… I'll see what I can do…" She hung up and turned back to Kara. "Kar, J'onn needs me back at the DEO. Says it's crucial, but I can figure out a way to stay if you want me to? Or you can come with?"

Kara followed Alex's voice and smiled. "Go, I'll be fine. I'll probably just take a nap or something."

Alex shifted her weight, biting her lower lip. "I really don't want you being alone right now. Are you sure?"

Kara nodded vigorously in response. "I think I can survive a few hours."

A sigh slipped from Alex's lips. "All right." She hugged Kara and pressed a kiss to her sister's hair, ruffling it slightly. "I'll be back in a few hours tops, hopefully sooner. You need anything before I go?"

"Could I have my phone, please? So I can call you in case I need something."

"Of course," Alex said, giving Kara her phone.

Kara pocketed the device and snuggled into the couch. "I'll see you in a little bit," the blonde said.

"Please, please call me no matter what, Kara. I don't care if it's small. I'm so sorry about this."

"It's not a big deal, and I promise I'll call if anything happens. Now go, that way you'll get back sooner."

Alex and she exchanged goodbyes one last time before Alex slipped out the door. Kara immediately pulled her phone out of her pocket and fumbled with the numbers until she clicked what she hoped was Winn's speed dial.

She sighed in relief a minute later when Winn's voice came through the phone. "Winn," she said. "I need to ask you a huge favor."

/

"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" Winn asked as they rode the CatCo building's elevator.

"Because I really need your help and I promised I'd buy you whatever candy you want."

"Right," he said with a nod.

Kara smoothed her skirt. "And everything looks okay? It's kind of hard when I can't see."

"It's perfect," he said as the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

"How exactly do you plan on doing this?" he asked as they stepped out.

Out of habit, Kara pushed up her glasses. "To be honest, I have no idea."

"Kiera, you're late," Cat Grant called from her office.

"I know. I'm so sorry, Ms. Grant. You see, I had an emergency and- "

Cat held up a hand, silencing Kara. "I don't care. I need you in my office now."

"Right… Yeah, of course," Kara said, trying desperately to visualize the office in her head and use sound to guide her.

"Why are you moving so slow?" Cat said with a snap of her fingers. "Let's go. We have things to do." Kara heard Cat turn on her heel, heading back into the office.

Kara bit her lip, screaming a small pep talk in her mind as she hesitantly shuffled toward Cat's office. Her thigh slammed against a desk and she let out a sharp yelp as the table groaned against the ground. _This is bad,_ she thought _, this is so bad._ She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, lowering her head.

Cat looked up, brows raised. "Where are you going? I said my office, now."

"Sorry," Kara said quickly and used Cat's voice to guide her into the office. "What would you like me to do?"

Cat was silent, squinting as she studied Kara. "You can't see me."

Kara wrinkled her nose and waved her hand dismissively. "Pshh, what? Of course I can…"

"Really?" Cat said, receiving a nod from Kara in response. "Hmm." Cat murmured, her hand hovered over her desk, selecting a pen and tossing it toward Kara.

"What was that for?!" Kara exclaimed a minute later, when a foreign object collided lightly with her side.

"Just confirming that you, in fact, can't see," Cat said, and Kara listened as the older woman made her way out from behind the desk and bent down to pick up the pen.

Kara swallowed and bit her bottom lip again.

"Well?" Cat prompted. The sound of her foot tapping impatiently on the ground filled the room and Kara shifted uncomfortable, wrapping an arm around herself then dropping it.

"You see, I, um, well…"

"She was… in an accident!" Winn said, appearing behind Kara, who nodded vigorously in support of his answer. "A bad accident," she added on, "But not, like, super bad. It wasn't _bad_ bad… Just sort of bad, kind of—what I'm trying to say is I'm okay."

Cat stood in front of the pair, eyes shifting between them. The sharpness of her gaze made Winn temporarily wish that he was the blind one.

"What she's _trying_ to say is that she has flash blindness from a minor explosion and is explicitly disobeying her doctor's orders not to attend work."

 _Shit._ Kara grimaced, her stomach dropping at the sound of Alex's voice. She spun around in the direction of her sister's voice, accidently knocking into Winn as she did so.

"An explosion?" Cat inquired.

"Kara was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, the police handled it."

"Interesting," Cat said dryly, wearing what Kara could only assume was an amused expression. "And you are?" she asked, looking at Alex.

"Alex Danvers, Kara's sister."

"My sister," they answered at the same time, Kara's response punctuated with a groan.

Cat looked at Winn. "You may go," she said waving him out before facing the sisters.

"Kiera, while I appreciate your… _persistence_ in showing up to work, you are of no help to me when you can't see. I want you to go home, _follow_ your doctor's orders and come back when your vision has returned."

"Understood," Kara said with a firm nod.

"Good. Let your sister take you home and don't try something like this again."

"Okay. Thank you, Ms. Grant," Kara said, turning and allowing Alex to lead her out of the office.

"One more thing," Cat said, causing Kara to pause mid-step and face her again. "I hope you feel better soon, Kiera," the older woman said with a rare, small smile.

"Thank you," Kara said, a smile pulling at her lips as she left, entering the elevator with Alex.

As soon as the doors closed, Kara spoke, disbelief coloring her voice. "Was she smiling when she said that?"

"Yes," Alex answered, causing Kara to grin even wider. "My turn to ask a question."

"Sure."

"What the hell were you thinking, Kara?"

Kara flinched at the volume of her sister's voice before answering. "I just wanted to help. You know how much I hate letting people down."

"It's not letting people down when you're hurt, Kara," Alex said, seeming to soften a bit. "You've got to take care of yourself. As much as you hate disappointing people, I hate seeing you in pain or neglecting yourself. Do you know how terrifying it was to see your apartment empty? And then you must have had your phone muted because you weren't answering any of my calls… It's a good thing I have a tracker in your phone."

"You have a what?!" Kara sputtered.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Yes, I tracked your phone and no, it's not the first time I've done it."

"That's ridiculous! You're infringing on my privacy."

"Kara, I'm your big sister, it's practically my job to infringe on your privacy. Plus, someone has to look out for you if you won't do it."

Kara sighed heavily. "Thank you," she said, leaning her head on Alex's shoulder as they walked out onto the sidewalk. "Sorry I'm difficult to handle sometimes."

Alex shook her head and tugged Kara into a gentle side hug. "You're not difficult. You're perfect."

Kara smiled, shuffling down the street. "I have no idea where I'm going," she admitted a moment later, furthering her point with dramatic hand gestures.

"Yeah, I know," Alex said with a laugh and steered Kara in the opposite direction, keeping an arm wrapped around her sister's shoulder. "I've got you."


	10. Chapter 10 - Alex Turns to Alcohol

Thank you so much for all the reviews, follows, favorites, and reads. You make my day! Sorry it's taken me some time to update, school's been crazy busy lately. Anyway, the poll has been updated and as you can see, I finally finished this chapter. :) The prompts might have gotten mixed up when I moved them to the poll so if yours isn't there or you have one to submit, let me know and I'd be happy to add it the next time I update!

Thank you to the guest who sent in this awesome prompt. I had a great time writing it and hope you guys enjoy. **Alex turns to alcohol after a traumatic event, and Kara is scared because she is reminded of how Alex almost ruined herself due to drinking when she was in college.**

* * *

"James, what's up?" Kara asked through the phone, curled on the couch with her polka dotted sock clad feet tucked behind her.

"Hey, Kara, I was down on Reynolds Street working on a story when I ran into Alex. She seemed pretty upset about something and was heading into a bar so I…"

Kara felt her stomach flip. "Wait, a bar?" She twisted her fingers around a loose tread from her blanket.

"Yeah, it's a little one, seems kind of rowdy. I've never heard of it before."

Kara sighed and James paused. "What's wrong?"

"She just…" Kara trailed off. "It's nothing. Is she still there?"

"That's the thing," he said. "I decided I would check in and make sure she was okay when I finished. The shoot ran a few hours late so I figured she'd definitely be gone but I checked anyway and she's still here."

Kara closed her eyes, letting her head fall back against the couch. Her heart ached. "You're there now?" she asked.

"Yes."

"How's she doing?"

"Honestly, she doesn't look too great. I would have called sooner if I'd known…"

"No, it's fine," Kara said, shaking her head and changing out of her pajamas. "I appreciate you checking on her in the first place. Could you do me one last favor?"

"Of course, Kara."

"Would you stay with her until I get there? I'm on my way now."

"Yeah, I'll be here. Don't worry."

She gave him a sincere thank you as she slipped on her shoes and rushed out the door.

/

The traffic was bad and Kara almost wished she'd flown over. _Screw secret identities,_ she thought, as the car crept down the street.

"Come on," she yelled, hitting the steering wheel with her hand. She dragged her fingers through her hair, loosening her ponytail before tugging it out with a frustrated sigh as the car got stuck at another light. "Come on, come on, come on," she murmured, unable to still her shaking leg.

She was tense with worry as she pulled off the road and swerved into the first parking spot outside the bar. She yanked out the keys, locked the car, and shoved the door closed.

Smoke and boisterous chatter clouded her senses as she entered the bar. With a cough, she pressed on the tips of her toes and scanned the room for Alex.

"Kara."

She heard James' voice and turned to find him at her side. "Hey," she said, looking over his shoulder for Alex.

"She's over there," he said and Kara followed his gaze until she spotted Alex, sitting up the bar, nursing a shot between her hands. "I couldn't get her to stop. I'm sorry."

"You did everything you could and I'm so thankful," Kara said, finally looking him in the eyes.

"It was nothing. You'll be good here?"

Kara nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you then," he said, giving her a soft smile. "I hope Alex feels better."

"Thank you," Kara said, bidding him goodnight before heading to her sister.

Kara tried to keep Alex in her sight as she moved through the crowded bar. She flinched and ducked her head every time her shoulder collided with the firm, broad bodies of the people frequenting the bar. They passed with a scowl, hard faces shooting dirty looks at Kara.

Despite all the badass, tough things Kara had seen Alex do, the blonde felt a surge of worry at the thought of Alex spending hours alone in the bar, drunk and surrounded by people she didn't know.

Alex didn't belong there. Alex wasn't supposed to be calloused, she shouldn't be there.

Kara felt sick. Alex was going to ruin herself again.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kara asked.

Alex looked up slowly, tears glimmering in her eyes as she glanced at her sister. She wiped at her cheeks, rough enough to leave red marks and sober enough to feel shame burning in her stomach. "Screw off, Kara," Alex said, tilting her head back and downing the rest of her drink.

"Another please," Alex called to the bartender, lifting her glass.

Kara pushed Alex's hand back down and looked at the bartender, forcing a polite smile. "She's done. We'll take the tab please."

Alex shoved Kara's hand off her arm. "What the hell was that for?"

"You do _not_ need any more of that," Kara said, pulling Alex's empty cup out of her grasp.

"Yeah, well mind your own business. I'm a big girl. I get to make my own decisions." Alex hiccupped and let out a sob, breaking her cold gaze as she glanced around the bar.

"Alex, what on earth is going on with you?" Kara asked, softening at the sound of her sister's tears.

"Dad died tomorrow ten years ago," Alex answered.

"Oh." Kara felt a lump forming in her throat. "Right."

Alex leaned against the bar, the old, dark walnut wood pressed, rough, into her skin. It felt like she was drowning. Like she was screaming for help and no one could hear her. "Doesn't matter to you."

Kara swallowed the sting of her sister's comment. She'd seen Alex drunk and hurting before. It nearly characterized the brunette's college years. It had threatened to take her grades and her dreams and her career. It had been so close to taking her life, too. "He wouldn't want this, Alex. Jerimiah wouldn't want this."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Like you would know." All she could see was her dad walking out that door for the very last time, and never coming back. Sometimes it felt like a piece of her had gone with him and never returned either. Like it had died by his side; died right there with him.

"I know that he loved you so much and he wouldn't want to see you throw your life away. Not here, not like this." Kara put money down for Alex's drinks and looked back at her sister. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Alex mumbled a series of curses and stumbled behind Kara out of the bar. Her foot caught on the last step of the stairs, she collapsed forward, dirt from the road blowing into her face and caking her palms as she broke her fall.

Kara spun around and was on her knees in an instant to check on Alex. "Are you okay?"

Kara offered a hand to Alex, but the oldest Danvers pushed it away. She looked at Kara, really holding her gaze for the first time that night and Kara could see the brokenness in Alex's watery brown eyes. "Lexie…" Kara whispered, moving to pull her sister into a hug.

"Go away," Alex yelled, hitting Kara with weak, uncoordinated limbs. "I d-don't want you he-here. Leave me alone," she sobbed.

Inching closer, Kara wrapped her arms around Alex. "It's okay, Lex. You're okay."

"No it's not," she screamed, her fists loosening as she dropped her arms and fell against Kara, leaning into her touch. "It's not okay. It's never okay."

"Shh. It will be okay, Alex. It will. I promise." Kara stood, carrying both of their weight as she held Alex against her, supporting the brunette's shaking legs.

"An agent got shot t-tonight. He has a daughter around o-our ages when Dad died. The man almost died and I c-couldn't do anything. I just froze, and now he-he's in the hospital and we… we don't even know if he's g-going to make it."

"Oh, Alex," Kara sighed and held Alex tighter against her. "I'm sure he'll be okay."

"I don't know." Alex shrugged helplessly, bottom lip quivering and tears flowing down her cheeks. A mirror image of how she'd looked ten years ago, when the news had come in the middle of the night, ripping Alex from dream.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier, I didn't mean it."

"I know," Kara said, rubbing circles on Alex's back.

"Kara, I miss him," Alex sobbed, her voice cracking as she continued. "I want Dad back, I want him back. Why'd he have to go? Why'd he have to leave us? It's not fair."

"I don't know, Lex," Kara said, pressing her lips against the top of Alex's head. "I really don't. But I know he would have tried everything he could have to come back to us. To come back to you. He loved you, Alex."

"He loved you, too." Alex sniffled, nestling her face against Kara's collarbone. "Remember when you got here, and one of the first things he did was teach you how to throw a spiral?"

Kara nodded, a smile forming on her lips. "I'll never forget."

"And you thought football was so weird, because you'd never seen it on Krypton," Alex said, whispering as the night enveloped her words, keeping them safe between her and her sister. "But you'd watch games with us anyway."

"Alex, I hate to break it to you, but I still think football is weird." Kara said and felt her sister smile. "I liked when we would all look at stars together, especially when we were camping. Look," Kara pulled back a bit from Alex and pointed at the sky. "There's Orion, it always reminds me of Jerimiah. I think it might have been his favorite; he always found it before looking for any other constellations."

"Nah," Alex said, laughing softly as a wide smile pulled across her face. "It was the only one he actually knew. He made up the rest the first time we went camping with you."

Kara's mouth dropped open. "He did not."

"Mhmm," Alex nodded. "He totally did. He wanted to impress you and make sure you were comfortable, he was so nervous that you wouldn't feel welcomed when you first came. When he saw how much you loved stars, he just kind of went with it, I guess. And then you and I ended up liking them so much that, no one ever corrected him."

"So the banana monkey constellation isn't real? Or the spaceship one?" Kara asked, amusement and disbelief etched across her face.

"Sorry," Alex said with a sheepish smile.

"The cowboy?"

"All but Orion."

"Huh," Kara pouted. "Well, Jerimiah constellations are way better than normal constellations anyway."

Alex looked thoughtfully into the sky. "Yeah, they are."

"Alex?"

"Yeah?" she responded as they slipped into Kara's car, the headlamps lighting the road in front of them as they pulled away from the bar.

"You really scared me today."

"I know." Alex took one of Kara's hands off the wheel, giving it a squeeze. "I'm really sorry."

"You said that when you were in college and you swore you weren't going to drink like you were again." Kara brushed her thumb over Alex's hand, keeping her eyes on the empty road.

Alex ran her other hand through her short hair. "I know," she repeated softly. "I'd been doing so well for so long and then today happened and I ruined everything."

"Not everything." Kara linked eyes with Alex, offering her sister a comforting smile. "You just got a little lost in your sadness, but it'll be okay. Just no more drinking. That stuff is the worst," Kara said and Alex gave a small smile.

Easy silence stretched between them as Kara focused on the road and Alex looked out at the buildings as they passed, blurs of lights and signs.

"How do you do it?" Alex asked, breaking the silence.

"Do what?" Kara pulled her eyes from the street and stole a quick glance at Alex.

"You've lost so much… your planet, your parents, Jerimiah… how do you stay so _you?_ So nice and loving and hopeful."

"Well, I didn't have to do any of it alone. I had you." Kara pulled into her apartment's parking garage, looking at Alex with warmth and sweetness shining in her eyes. "And tonight, we're having a sister sleepover to help you remember that you don't have to do any of this alone either, because you have me."

Alex couldn't do anything but pull her sister into a hug, ready to hold on forever, if that's what it took to show how much she loved Kara and how grateful she was to have a sister that could always show her home.


	11. Chapter 11 - PTSD Alex

**A/N:** I want to say thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites, follows, and reads. You guys have no idea how much you make me smile. Special thanks to the guests who review, you're great and your prompts have been added to the poll (which has been updated :) ). I'm always open to more prompts for anyone who'd like to submit them!

Also, another special thanks to the guest who sent in today's prompt: **PTSD Alex**

 **This chapter takes place after/in reference to the events of chapter 7, in which Alex was found after being kidnapped and tortured.**

 **Trigger warnings for this chapter include PTSD, kidnapping, and panic attacks**

* * *

"Hey, you ready?" Kara asks as she stands up, pushing in her chair.

Alex nods slowly, pushing her coffee mug into the center of the table and watching as the remaining sliver of liquid splashes against the walls of the cup.

"I was hoping we could just crash at my place tonight, since it's already pretty late and we have to be up early tomorrow for that meeting at the DEO."

"Okay," Alex says. She gets up, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear as they leave the small café and step out onto the sidewalk. People bustle by and Alex pulls her bandaged wrist closer to her side. Six weeks have passed since she's come home; since she was found shaking in the basement of a building miles away from the city.

Her fractures are healing well, her casts recently turned to soft wraps and braces; her stitches are gone, too, and her gashes are closing.

She's okay. She supposed to be okay.

She can't help but be tortured by the fact that nothing is ever the way it's supposed to be.

Fifteen minutes have passed when Alex whips her head around. Her brown hair swishes around her face, tapping against her cheek as her eyes seek out whatever unknown object had yanked her attention. In the sea of people traveling down the moonlit street, she can't make out which figure had bobbed into her peripheral vision and oozed unease into her body.

She shakes her head and speeds up her pace until she's back in step with Kara.

"Everything okay?" The blonde asks and Alex forces a smile across her lips.

"Yeah."

"Good," Kara says, beaming as she swings her arm around Alex, pulling her closer.

Alex leans into Kara's touch, trying to shake the knot tightening in her stomach.

As they walked through the city in the direction of Kara's apartment, Alex tries to focus on her sister's light ramble. She's talking because she thinks Alex is finally better and it fills Kara with so much joy and excitement she can't stop. Alex thinks that maybe neither of them are ready to admit the reality of the situation, or maybe Kara just doesn't know that she's really just talking to fill the silence.

The air outside is cool, the wind sharp against Alex's red cheeks. The dull light of streetlamps casts shadows across the faces of each pedestrian.

It happens again.

Alex turns around, finally noticing what'd stopped her the first time. A man in a dark jacket, black and worn, just like her kidnapper. She'd seen him walking behind them earlier. They're being followed.

She sucks in a sharp breath and steals another glance at the man, afraid she'll see the dark hair and scarred face that had tortured her for weeks.

His head is down. She can't see his face. She _can't see_ his face.

Something is very wrong.

Her fingers are moving across her lips. She swallows hard. Without any words Alex turns down the next street and her footsteps echo loudly off the concrete sidewalk.

It doesn't matter that her kidnapper's been sent to jail, that she knows he's locked away. The fear he's instilled in her doesn't go away. She's still at a loss of control. She still feels shattered.

It takes Kara a second to notice her sister isn't at her side.

The blonde's worry eases a moment later when she spots Alex and makes her way over.

"Alex, what's wrong?"

The agent doesn't respond, doesn't even hear her, as she watches wide-eyed as the man walks past them. His head is still down, but in the close proximity Alex can see that he's been looking at his phone, the light illuminating his blond hair.

Alex stumbles backward when he disappears around the corner, slumping over and sighing in relief.

Her breath is quicker than it should be.

"Alex," Kara calls, and it briefly registers in Alex's mind. "Alex, are you okay?"

Her head snaps up to Kara and the brunette feels heat flood her cheeks. "Yeah, I just… I dropped my phone, but I found it." She pulls the phone out of her pocket and waves it around a bit, hoping to emphasize her point.

Kara gives a slow nod and Alex feels herself deflate at the worried look carving itself across Kara's face.

After that, Alex shoves her hands in her pockets as they walked, so Kara won't see how much they shake every time Alex sees a man in a dark jacket, any man in a dark jacket, trailing behind them on the crowded streets.

Fifteen minutes later they reach Kara's apartment and while Kara is distracted by changing into pajamas, Alex disappears into the bathroom. She stands in front of the mirror and pushes her hands under the cold water, splashing it against her face and rubbing her eyes. The drops are icy at first, prickling against her skin until the water turns burning hot and colors her hands pink.

She looks up, staring into eyes that she doesn't recognize. Against her cheek she presses a scalding hand, moving it across her face.

Why can't she get any damn better? How much longer can she keep anyone from finding out that she's going crazy?

With a heavy sigh she shoves her hair off her face, unable to break eye contact with her reflection.

She can feel her sanity slipping away just as she had felt consciousness slipping away the first time her kidnapper had drugged her and dragged her to his basement.

Fear and desperation had sprinted through her system. She wanted to fight but it was hopeless and she was so, so tired it was the only thing she could feel through the numbness. The kind of exhaustion that settles in your bones and bears through your body from the inside out.

She turns off the sink, drops her head into her hands, and sucks in a shaky breath.

Something is very wrong.

She wonders how much longer she can do this.

"Alex?" Kara's voice fills the air

Alex takes another glance in the mirror and smooths her hair as she takes a deep breath.

"Are you in there?" Kara asks again.

"Yes," the agent replies. "I'm coming out now."

She cracks open the door and steps out.

Kara spends a moment looking at Alex, gaze lingering with concern.

Alex's stomach flips and she toes her way out of her shoes, discarding them outside the bathroom door.

"I'm pretty tired, is it okay if I skip the movie tonight and just sleep?"

Kara's gaze softens. "Yeah, sure. Of course. Do you want anything before you go to sleep?"

Alex shakes her head, squeezing Kara's outstretched hand. "I'll be fine."

Kara just smiles softly and pulls her sister into a hug.

When the lights go out and Kara retreats to her bedroom, after offering Alex the bed multiple times, Alex can't close her eyes.

Every time she does, the image of her kidnapper burns in her mind. She stares up at the ceiling with tears pooling in her eyes and her heart wreaking havoc in her chest, until fatigue drags her into an hour long slumber.

She wakes with a scream on the edge of her lips, swallows it, and focuses on breathing until her lungs stop shrieking.

 _This can't go on. This can't go on. This can't go on_ , she thinks as she turns against the couch, pushes her face into the fabric, and shoves a hand over her mouth, biting down on her pointer finger to keep Kara from hearing the sobs that wrack her body.

Something has to give. She doesn't know when or where of how, but she can't do this anymore. She can't.

She's tormented as she falls back into sleep, but exhaustion grants her enough mercy that she evades nightmares for the last three hours of slumber she manages to get.

/

"Damn it! Where are they?" Alex says, fumbling around the front door as she and Kara are about to leave for the DEO meeting.

"Hey, hey, it's all right," Kara says, appearing by Alex's side and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What are you looking for?"

"My shoes," Alex says. "They're not by the door and I _always_ leave them by the door."

Her words come in a rush, high pitched and nervous as she shifts her weight and twists her fingers together. She doesn't know why this is making her so panicky, but her stomach aches and her body jitters.

Kara disappears for a moment, returning a second later. "Here, I've got them." She hands the shoes to Alex. "You left them by the bathroom door last night, remember?"

Alex exhales and took the shoes. "Oh, right. Thanks."

Kara eyes her sister carefully as she tugs on the black boots, and while they walk out of the apartment Kara can't shake one specific though from her mind.

Something is very wrong.

/

Alex squirms, moving around in her chair at the DEO. They're discussing new protocol and upcoming missions, but considering everything that's happened to Alex it all just feels so trivial and she struggles to focus.

There's a boom behind them, as an agent passing the table drops a weapons case. The metal hits the floor, the clang reverberating through the walls and Alex can feel it vibrating in her ribs.

Her whole body becomes so tense her muscles ache.

Everybody turns around to find the source of the noise, but she can't move.

She squeezes her hands to keep them from shaking.

The agent mutters an embarrassed apology and as he leans over to pick up the case, he stumbles forward, catching himself by placing a hand on Alex's shoulder to stop his fall. She takes a deep breathe.

The smell is too familiar. Strong cologne, sweat, alcohol. She'll never forgot that smell, never stop associating it with fear and pain and _him,_ the man who took her and tortured her and turned her into the broken, shell of a person she is now.

The agent backs away quickly, another apology slipping from his mouth as he grabs the weapons and leaves the room.

Alex can't focus. The room merges into an obscure blur, it all feels distant, like she's reaching out but she can't hang on. She tries to concentrate on the lights, on the conversation continuing around her but it's gone. Everything is gone. Her chest gets tight and her throat closes up. She feels the kidnapper's breath, hot on the back of her neck. It burns.

She needs to get away. She needs to move.

She can't.

Her breathing is faster: short, shallow gasps that make her lungs sting.

"Alex?" Kara says in the distance, but Alex can't hear her. She's too far gone.

The brunette tries to get up, tries to get away, but her legs are weak and she collapses. She falls onto her broken wrist and pain shots up the limb. Her knees meet the floor next and she stays there like that, panting as she crouches on the floor.

Her chest heaves.

"Get out!" Kara yells, as the rest of the agents get up and gather around Alex. "She needs space!"

The shuffle around until Hank gets up, too. "You heard her, move! Let's go, everyone out of the room," he orders.

The yelling is so loud. Alex shakes and presses her chin against her chest. Her hair falls across her face as a sob works its way through her body.

"She's having a panic attack," Hank says calmly, looking at Kara.

"I know what it is," Kara replies, she'd recognized it in an instant. She'd had them before, and every single time, Alex was there to talk her down.

"You need help?"

Kara shakes her head, tugging a hand through her hair and refusing to pull her gaze away from Alex.

Hank nods and leaves the room and Kara shifts her position so she's sitting cross legged in front of Alex, leaving just enough space between them.

Alex can't breathe, can't force air into her lungs. She's going to die. She doesn't know where she is but she can feel her captor's hand on her shoulder, in her hair, moving down her arm, slamming her into a wall and pressing a blade into her skin.

It's all so real.

She's going to die.

She can't breathe, she can't talk, she can't see, she can't move.

Something is very wrong.

She's going to die.

Her heart is pounding in her chest. It's too fast, it's too fast.

Something's wrong.

She's going to die.

She's sobbing and shaking and she doesn't have any control. She's never had any control.

He's in her head, he's on her body, he's cutting her open and breaking her bones and hollowing her soul.

She's going to die.

Tears collect in her eyes and carve paths across her cheeks. They gather at her jaw and drip to the floor. She's slipped from her crouched position and pulls her knees to her chest. Kara's gently repeating her name. Alex can't hear.

She's choking. She's trembling. She's going to be sick. She's going to die. He's going to kill her.

It's dark. She can't see. He's close and she knows it. She can feel it. She's ice cold.

She's rocking and bawling and she's supposed to be doing something, but she can't.

She messed up, she failed, she's going to die.

"Alex, you're safe. Alex, you're okay. Alex, you're so, so strong. Alex, no one is going to hurt you."

 _Alex. Alex. Alex._ There's a voice somewhere, it's calling her name, it's breaking through and it's warm and soft even though it's crackling and she can barely hear it.

She thinks it might be lying.

She's going to die.

She tries to focus on her breathing. It's no use. She's gasping for air but she can't seem to get any. There's fire in her lungs and fire in her head.

She doesn't want to die.

"Alex, I know what you're going through right now is scary, but you're safe. You're in a safe place. I won't let anything happen to you."

 _Kara._ The voice is Kara. Kara is safe, Kara is home. Kara doesn't lie.

Alex latches on. She reaches out and grasps onto Kara's hand. It's a lifeline. Alex knows that touch anywhere.

The basement she'd been chained in begins to fade and a fuzzy version of Kara is in front of her, holding her hand.

Alex's hand quivers against Kara's, her fingers cold and her palms wet with sweat.

"Squeeze my hand if you can hear me."

Weakly, Alex tightens her fingers around Kara. "Good girl," the blonde coos and holds out her other hand. "Can you count my fingers?"

Alex sobs and looks at Kara's hand. Her vision is blurry through the tears; she reaches out and taps each finger as she counts. "One… two… three… four… five," she wheezes and slumps back.

"Can't breathe," she manages.

"That's okay, don't worry," Kara says and her voice is calm and slow. Alex feels like crying and then realizes that she is. "We'll breathe together, match yours with mine, okay?"

Alex's bottom lip quivers as she nods, but she follows Kara's instructions, exhaling and inhaling until her lungs stop screaming and she feels her body begin to calm.

"Here, we'll count again," Kara says, extending her forearm and guiding Alex's fingers so that they're pressed against the blonde's wrist. "Feel my pulse?"

Alex nods without looking Kara in the eye.

"Perfect. Count each heartbeat."

Alex does. She counts and she counts and she doesn't feel so much like she's going to die anymore. Slowly, she uncurls herself, pulls her legs away from her chest and sits back. She doesn't stop counting and even though she can't stop crying her tears slow into a steady stream down her cheeks.

"Good job," Kara says when Alex reaches two hundred. "You're doing great."

Alex nods again and they keep going. Kara has come fully into focus now, her outline sharp, her presence tangible and real. Alex sneaks a glance up at her.

Kara catches Alex's gaze, takes in her sister's watery brown eyes, puffy and red. Her heart aches at the tear stained cheeks and the trembling bottom lip pulled into a frown.

Alex leans forward so that her forehead crashes into Kara's shoulder, she takes a few breaths before launching her arms around Kara and hugging her tightly. "I'm sorry," she breathes against Kara's tear soaked shirt. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

She thinks she might be free, like she might finally be out of it all.

Her chest heaves against Kara, each cry wracking her frame.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Kara murmurs softly into Alex's hair, kissing her sister's head and rubbing circles across her back.

"I've been try-trying so long not to f-fall apart because I d-didn't want you to see h-how messed up I am n-now. I was so sc-scared you'd see me d-differently."

Kara hugs Alex closer, cradling the back of her head and smoothing her hair. "No, Alex, never. My brave, beautiful, sweet, strong big sister, I won't ever see you differently."

Alex sobs, this time from relief as she burrows against Kara's neck. "Something's wrong with me," she whispers. "I'm not how I'm supposed to be."

"Then we'll fix it," Kara says with so much conviction that Alex believes her. "I've got you, okay? I'm by your side. We're going to get through this."

"Okay," Alex says as fatigue pulls her drooping eyes closed and she snuggles closer against Kara, curling a loose fist around her sister's hair. She knows that something's very wrong, but she also knows that it's going to get better, so for the first time in weeks she relaxes against Kara and lets sleep take her.


	12. Chapter 12 - Alex Goes on a Mission

**A/N:** Thanks so much for all the reviews, favorites, follows, and reads. I appreciate your enthusiasm and all your wonderful prompts, too. :) You guys are the greatest!

Special thank you to the guest who sent in today's prompt: **Alex secretly goes on a dangerous solo mission that Kara was determined to go on to prevent Kara from getting hurt. Alex gets seriously injured and Kara fears that their last conversation will be an argument about the mission.**

I had a really good time writing this prompt and it ended up being super long!

Also, I wanted to let you know that I'll be gone for three weeks and will have limited Internet access and no computer, so updates will be on hiatus for a bit. I'm hoping to still get writing done, so head over to my profile and vote for which prompts you'd like me to write next and I'll try to get a few done while I'm away. :)

I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'll see you in a little bit!

* * *

"J'onn, I'm going on that mission. Kara has no place being there," Alex said, approaching his desk and placing a hand on the top, fire in her eyes.

J'onn looked up, eyebrows raised. "Your sister was in here an hour ago saying the same thing about you. Supergirl wants this mission."

"She's out of her mind!" Alex yelled. "We already know there's going to be tons of green kryptonite, and I am _not_ losing my sister to some stupid solo mission just so we can receive insight on obscure alien tech, _especially_ when I can complete the mission just as well myself without getting killed. The green k will take away her powers the instant she steps into that cave. It could have her dead in minutes."

"I know."

"Then how can you let her do this?" Alex asked pausing in her pacing and tugging a hand through her hair before resuming her walk.

"I'm not," J'onn said.

Alex froze and looked up again. "What do you mean?"

He rubbed a hand over his face. "I'm not sending Supergirl."

"Then who are you sending?"

"You."

Alex let out a sigh of relief, resting her elbows on his desk as she slumped over and dropped her head into her hands, rubbing her eyes before looking up. "Thank you so much, Sir. I can't express how much I appreciate it."

J'onn nodded. "I'll tell your sister later today that she's off the mission."

"Can you do me one more favor?" Alex asked as she straightened up.

J'onn looked at the agent, urging her to continue.

"Please don't tell Kara I'm the one going on the mission. She'll totally flip and try to stop me."

"You know she's still going to be mad when she finds out _after_ the mission."

"I know," Alex sighed. "But it's worth it if it keeps her safe. If she finds out _before_ the mission she might do something stupid and try to follow me. She can't get hurt. I won't forgive myself."

"Okay," J'onn nodded. "It's confidential anyway, so she won't know."

"Thank you," she said sincerely, heading toward the door.

"You leave Tuesday at midnight, in eighteen hours. We'll debrief you once more and go over the plan again today."

This time, Alex nodded. "Got it," she said, as she slipped out the door.

/

"You can't do this!" Kara cried, finger twisting around the cape of her Supergirl suit. "It was supposed to be my mission."

"It's too dangerous. The amount of green kryptonite that will be there could kill you. I'm sending someone else," J'onn replied.

"Who?" Kara asked, stepping toward his desk.

"I can't tell you, it's classified. I'm sorry."

"Is it Alex?" She challenged.

"It's classified," he repeated firmly.

Kara let out a frustrated sigh and threw her head back, forcing herself to take a deep breath. "Please, J'onn. I have to do this."

"My decision's final, you're off this mission."

Kara deflated, murmuring a quiet 'okay,' as she left his office, running into Alex in the hallway.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked, noting the pout on Kara's lips, the furrow between her brows.

"J'onn took me off the mission," Kara sighed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "No one ever thinks I'm capable of doing anything."

"It's not that, Kara," Alex said as she put an arm on her sister's shoulder. "You're the strongest person here, but there are somethings you can't fight. You and I were at the same meeting yesterday, we both heard how much green kryptonite is there. It's not safe for you."

Kara rolled her eyes and jerked her shoulder away from Alex's touch. "I'm so sick of hearing that. It's not safe for me, sure, but it's not safe for anyone else either. Nothing we do at the DEO is safe, but it never seems to be a problem until I'm involved."

"You know that's not it. We send you on dangerous missions all the time. The only difference is that the rest of us are aware that we have limitations, while you seem to think that you're untouchable, but you're not Kara. You have weaknesses just like everyone else."

"You're unbelievable!" Kara yelled. "You're probably the one that talked J'onn out of sending me on the mission."

Alex felt guilt twist in her stomach, but Kara was being completely irrational and frustration was taking over, her body growing hot. "Where would you even get that from?"

"Because you've been pulling stuff like that ever since I met you. Always "protecting" me, always trying to keep me from doing what I was meant to do, always holding me back and holding me down."

"Right, and the next time you want to get yourself killed just to _prove_ that you're "capable," go ahead. I won't be there to pick up the pieces when you get hurt or don't come home."

"So you did tell him?" Kara asked, huffing out a sigh as they turned the corner in the hall.

"I never said that! The only thing I'm saying is that this isn't the right mission for you and maybe if you could get over the fact that you think everyone is treating you like a child, you'd actually be able to act like an adult."

"You're just jealous because you know I can handle this mission better than you can and I'm able to do it with half the training."

"Whatever," Alex said.

Kara paused outside the base's exit. "I just have one question for you."

"Fire away," Alex huffed.

"Why do you always think you know better than I do? You treat me like I'm fragile. You're not the one who lost her whole family and you're not the one who watched her planet explode; you didn't arrive on earth years after you were supposed to, just to find out that you failed your parents' dying wish; you're not the one who had to hide her powers or go through half of her life feeling like she was living in a world where she doesn't belong. You act like I've never gone through anything. You act like I'm helpless, but I'm not."

"I'm just trying to protect you!" Alex yelled, her voice echoing through the empty metal halls. "I know what you've been through. I know you're tougher than anyone I've ever met, but you can't do everything."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't _need_ your protection? You're not my mom, you're not even my sister by blood. I've technically been alive for more years than you have, so you're not even _really_ older than I am. You always try to protect me, but you don't even know what's right for me. You never bother asking what I want, you just assume that you know what's best. You're smothering me. I don't need you to protect me, I don't _want_ you to protect me. I don't even want you to be near me."

"Kara…" Alex breathed out, her anger dissipating as she'd watched tears pool in Kara's eyes and red color her cheeks. Kara's frustration was a product of underlying hurt and insecurity, Alex just wished she'd seen it sooner.

"Don't 'Kara' me," the blonde said, shaking her head and turning to the door, her hand lingering on the handle. "I don't want to hear it. You don't get to do that. Not now." She squeezed her hands into fists, nails digging into her palms as she pushed open the door.

"Please, Kara. Wait," Alex said, reaching out and grabbing her sister's hand.

Kara yanked herself free. "You told J'onn not to send me. You always make me feel small and I hate you for it. I hate you," Kara yelled, stepping outside and shoving the door closed behind her, tears burning in her eyes as Alex watched her fly away.

The brunette leaned against the wall and let her head fall back, taking in the sting of metal against her skin.

/

Alex sighed, tossing her phone aside and pulling off her shirt and jeans in the locker room of the DEO. She'd tried, and failed, for the seventh time to get ahold of Kara. If Kara had her answering machine set up Alex could at least leave a message, but she'd had to get a new damn phone and had been too busy to set up the answering machine.

Alex shook her head, she didn't want to leave for a mission like this, not before making up with Kara and making sure her little sister was okay. As Alex tugged on her tactical suit she wondered what Kara was doing right then. Alex glanced at her watch and read 11:03 PM.

She pictured Kara back in her apartment, probably wearing the navy and golden star pajamas she wore when she was upset. The image was clear in Alex's head, with Kara curled beneath her comforter, snuggled against her pillows and trying to fall asleep.

Alex hoped with all her heart that Kara wasn't crying into those pillows, the way Alex had found her after the few times they'd fought as teenagers.

The agent finished suiting up before climbing onto the plane, her thoughts still occupied as she settled in for the flight.

As they landed, hours later, another agent, Lawrence, debriefed Alex one last time, "Remember, there will be some lifeforms around the tech. They are hostile and dangerous. Your mission does not concern them. Do what you have to do to retrieve the device and get out. Only engage if necessary. The object has information about Fort Rozz and the prisoners, but we are yet to determine if the creatures are alien or have simply undergone mutations from the green kryptonite that's imbedded in the cave walls. Additionally, we've observed irregular weather patterns within the area, often dangerous and extreme"

Alex nodded, unbuckling her seatbelt as the plane touched down with a jolt. "Lovely," she said, sending a wry smile at the Lawrence.

He laughed and handed her the gun she was about to fit into its holster. "I'll be back here in two and half hours with the evac team to get you out. Staying any longer is bad for your health, the environment is toxic, among other things. Your body will start to wear down."

"This just keeps getting better," Alex said, tugging the mission goggles over her face.

"You're the best for the job, Alex Danvers. See you in two and a half hours, at 6:33, our time" he said, opening the plane's door. "It'll still be dark out, this place gets like four hours of light midday."

Alex sighed, a disbelieving smirk on her face. "6:33 AM, see you then," she repeated, grabbing her bag and hopping out the hatch.

/

"Shit!" Alex cursed, as her foot caught in a hole and sent her spiraling to the ground. Sharp rocks bit into her palms as mud oozed between her fingers and splattered against her suit.

She checked that the small metal device that had been the source of her mission was still in her backpack. Fortunately, it had stayed in her bag; less fortunately, the demon hell beast that'd been trailing her for the past hour had also stayed with her.

Groaning as she stood up, Alex took a glance behind her just as the creature caught her leg with its claws. She screamed as her skin split, blood pooling over and coloring the dirt red.

In the sixty minutes the animal had been tracking her, Alex had yet to get a real idea of what it looked like. All she could make out was a massive, dark figure, with teeth like daggers and claws that tore through her leg with ease. She rolled over, landing a kick in the creature's abdomen. It stumbled back and Alex bit her lip, as excruciating pain seared in her leg.

As she fumbled for the gun strapped to her thigh the creature remerged, sinking a claw into her hip and biting her abdomen. She felt bone snap, heard it crackle beneath the monster.

White hot pain scorched through her limbs.

Bile rose in her throat, her brain screamed, her muscles kept moving as the creature toyed with her body, shaking it, dangling it, tossing it to the side before returning for more. It leaned down, Alex could smell death on its breath.

/

Kara rolled out of bed with a sigh. Seven hours of staring at the ceiling and she still hadn't fallen asleep. The floor was cold against her feet as she stood up. Her eyes stung and her hair was knotted.

The sun had begun its ascent, its rays peeking through the buildings of National City.

The blonde turned away from the window, checking her phone for the time: 6:31. She swiped away the notifications about Alex's missed calls.

The mission was probably going on as she stood there, Kara thought, deciding to pull on her Supergirl suit and fly down to the DEO to see what was happening before she went to CatCo.

/

With trembling fingers Alex unhooked her gun and pulled the trigger. She held her breath as the creature fell backward, crushing her foot.

She couldn't help the yelp that slipped from her lips as she eased herself out from beneath the monster. Everything hurt so much, tears pricked in her eyes, her heart pounded in her chest, her breath was ragged and shallow, her lungs ached.

Through the darkness, she dragged herself forward, eyes darting for hints of any other animals.

She needed to get out of the cave, where she could get signal for her comms and get onto the evac plane. Her muscles burned with each inch and the pain made her lean to her side as she vomited. She kept moving, a trail of blood streaking behind her.

Getting to the evac site meant getting out alive.

Finally, light edged into her vision and she caught sight of the moon, illuminating the forest in front of the cave. She kept her gaze locked onto the light, exhaustion magnifying her pain as she pulled herself into the forest and rain soaked her skin, mixing with blood as lightning patterned the sky.

Her hand shook as she glanced at her watch. 6:54. The evac site was empty.

She turned on her comms. "Agent Lawrence, this is Danvers. I need the evac."

He crackled through the system and into her earpiece. She could barely make out his voice as thunder snarled above her. "The plane's delayed due to weather. We're trying to get there as fast as we can, but it could be another hour, maybe more."

"Okay," Alex wheezed into the comm. She wasn't going to make it.

"Agent Danvers?" he asked, waiting for a reply. "Alex?"

"Huh?" she replied, her eyes closing then opening as she curled into a ball outside the cave, unsure of which wound to apply pressure to first.

"Are you hurt? You sound hurt."

She looked down at the blood forming a puddle around her, she was having trouble remembering where it'd come from. She grit her teeth as she pressed against the gash across her abdomen. "Uh yeah, a little. Maybe, I think so." Pain was overwhelming her body, burning each cell. She swallowed a scream and bit hard on the inside of cheek, tasting blood.

"Are you crying?"

She squeezed her eyes shut and couldn't think of anything but making the pain stop. "I don't know." Her words were fast, her voice weak and high.

"All right, it's okay. We're coming." In the background she heard Agent Lawrence talking to the pilot. "Your feed has been hooked up to the base, too. They can here you. Are you still there?"

"Yes," Alex replied, whimpering as she tightened the pressure on her stomach. "I'm not sure I'm going to survive another hour. I've lost a lot of blood."

"What happened?"

"I can't really remember, there was a creature thing. It attacked me." she said, looking down. "Ah, shit!" she muttered, pushing her head into the dirt and flinching. "Damn, that hurts, too. I got the tech though."

"Good, that's good. You did well. We're rushing the flight, we'll be there soon. Stick with me."

"Okay," Alex said, her voice going breathy, muffled by the down pour of rain. She shivered violently and the motion amplified the pain coursing through her body. She squeezed her eyes closed more tightly. "Can J'onn hear me back at the base?"

"He can hear you, but he won't be able to respond."

"Okay, that's okay," she sniffled. "I just – J'onn, if things… if things don't work out here, don't-don't let Kara feel guilty. She al-always feels so guilty. It's not her fault. You- you have to promise me you'll go e-easy on her, that you'll help her." Alex brought her blood saturated hands to her face, wiping away tears and smearing new blood with the dried crimson that had trickled from her forehead. "I love my little sister. I love her m-more than anything. Tell Kara I l-love her, and my mom, too."

Alex leaned to her side, stomach heaving as she vomited again. Her body quivered and her heart pounded in her chest. "I'm tired," she said softly. "I think… I think I might go to sleep," she murmured. "It's dark, but there are lights in the sky. It's loud. The monster's probably waking up now."

"Danvers?" Lawrence's voice came through. "We need you to stay awake. Come on, you can do it. Just a little longer."

She felt her eyes closing as she whispered into the comms, "I really, I really don't want to die," just as Kara entered the DEO base and the connection crackled into nothing.

The blonde's eyes went wide as she heard the words, echoing through the room. Agent Hamilton turned around, sympathy etched across her face as she looked at Kara.

"We just lost connection, sir," Agent Lawrence came through, voice nervous and words rushed. "We're still ten minutes out and the comms are completely down."

"Did you get a check on her vitals?"

"Yes, and they're rapidly deteriorating. Heartrate's up, blood pressure down. She's probably lost at least 35% of her blood. If we get there soon enough there's a chance of survival, but once she hits 40% the outcome doesn't look good."

"Move faster," J'onn said. "I don't care if it endangers the plane. The plane is meant to be in danger, it'll survive, she might not if we're not there soon enough."

Kara dropped the coffee she'd been holding, the hot liquid splattered around her feet. "It's my sister isn't it?" she asked. "It's Alex?"

J'onn turned in his chair, face grim as he nodded. "Yes."

"No," she cried as she stumbled backward. "No, there's no way. Alex can't die. That should be me. That's supposed to be me. Alex shouldn't be the one that's dying. It's not fair."

She felt her breath catch in her lungs, her throat felt tight and the room felt like it was closing in on her. She leaned against the wall and sunk to the floor, dropping her head against her knees as her breath grew faster.

"I told Alex I hated her. It was the last thing I said to her and now… now she's going to die," Kara said to no one in particular as something snapped inside her and tears poured down her cheeks.

"I have to go," Kara muttered, vision blurred. With trembling arms, she pushed herself off the ground, swaying as she stood up. She looked down at the hands she'd used just hours earlier to shove Alex away; they stung. "I have to help her. I'll get her out myself."

"It's too dangerous, Supergirl," J'onn said, placing a hand on her elbow to help hold her up.

"No, no, I have to go. I have to help her." Kara broke free from his hold and stumbled forward, suddenly feeling lightheaded.

"You should sit down," J'onn said and she shook her head. He put an arm around her shoulder and felt her body quiver, her diaphragm rising and falling rapidly with each breath. She shivered beneath his hand, her skin was cold and damp.

"I have to get her. I have to," Kara repeated, her vision going spotty. She couldn't focus, couldn't hold herself together. Her breath was coming quicker. Her heart was sprinting in her chest. Her stomach flipped.

Alex was dying.

Kara was helpless.

Heat vision shot from her eyes, singeing the fabric of her suit, just below her wrist. She couldn't breathe and she couldn't think and she couldn't see. She felt the burning sensation and grimaced.

Control was slipping between her hands.

She twisted her fingers together, attempting to ground herself. The further she spiraled, the tighter she gripped her fingers, until a bone cracked and she yelped.

She wasn't aware of J'onn holding her up, of the agents in the room moving around, watching with worry. All she could think about was Alex dying, and how much it hurt. Like every fiber of her body was screaming, like she was drowning and burning and suffocating all at once.

Alex was dying.

Kara couldn't breathe. She'd yelled at Alex, said she hated her. If Alex died, Kara was going to die, too. She couldn't imagine living in a world without Alex. It wasn't possible. It wasn't worth it.

Agent Hamilton approached J'onn, handing him a syringe. She reached out, wanting to do something to comfort Kara. The blonde was doubled over, sobbing and hyperventilating, mumbling nonsense.

"Help me hold her up?" J'onn asked.

Hamilton nodded and gently took Kara's other side, stilling the thrashing girl. "It's okay, Supergirl. Everything will be okay," the agent said.

Kara couldn't hear her.

"Kara, I'm going to give you a sedative before you hurt yourself anymore. We're doing everything we can to help your sister," J'onn said calmly. "You're going to be just fine."

Kara stopped fight, slumping over as J'onn punctured her skin with the green kryptonite needle. Her voice was a hoarse whisper when she spoke again. "I have to save Alex. I have to…" Her eyes closed, her limbs went heavy, and her head fell forward.

/

"Agent Danvers," Agent Lawrence called as he stepped off the plane the rest of the evac team on his heels. The storm had temporarily eased, so that only a hazy drizzle hung in the air.

"Danvers," he yelled, traipsing through the thick mud.

She raised her head, squinting as she wondered if she'd started hallucinating. "Over here," she mumbled and the agents almost missed the noise.

When they found her, she was curled on the ground, fumbling with laces of her boot as she tried to tug it off.

"What are you doing?" Agent Lawrence asked.

"Getting it off," she answered, her words slurred.

"Getting what off?"

"My boot," she huffed. "It hurts." She tugged it off and cast it aside. The agents grimaced at the sight, Alex's left foot and ankle had swollen nearly twice in size and grown a deep purple hue. Lacerations covered her skin, the bones had been broken and dislocated, the skin torn.

Agent Lawrence knelt beside her, his boots pressed into the dirt, water and blood pooled around his shoes. "Holy shit," he said, noting just how much blood had gathered around Alex. He felt a weak, rapid pulse in her wrist.

She shivered and her eyes kept moving, unable to focus.

"We need to move now."

"I'll call for the stretcher."

"No time," the other agent said, looking at Lawrence. "Just pick her up and go, she's not going to make it if we wait any longer."

He nodded in agreement. "We can't go too fast though, it could screw with her heartbeat," Lawrence turned back to Alex. "Agent Danvers, this might hurt a lot."

" 's okay," she slurred, eyes drooping closed.

He tucked his hand beneath her knees and under her shoulder blades, gently lifting her up. She gritted her teeth and he connected with the medical team on the plane. "From what I've observed so far, she's suffered moderate to severe blood loss, mild – maybe moderate – hypothermia, and a crush injury to her left foot and ankle."

The plane came into view through the trees as the doctor responded. "We've got the blood for a transfusion, so we'll start once we're able to stop the bleeding. When she gets here we'll set her up on a warmed saline solution through an IV. Hopefully it'll be enough to stabilize her, but we need to start soon. Where are you?"

"Approaching the plane now, drop the ramp."

They climbed into the aircraft and Alex was transferred onto an examination table. Her vision was blurry, everything a dull haze. A woman leaned above her, speaking softly as she lead the medical team. Alex missed most of her words, flitting in and out of consciousness as she felt an IV pierce her skin and gloved hands touch her body. The head doctor placed a warm hand on Alex's shoulder. "You're going to be okay, Agent Danvers. We've got you now."

/

"She's here," J'onn said.

Kara eased into consciousness, feeling weak and shaky, but in control of her body at the least. She ran a hand through her hair and rubbed her eyes, looking around the room. They'd put her in Alex's lab while she slept. Her mind felt numb and she couldn't shake the tightness in her stomach telling her something was wrong. "Who's here?"

"Alex. Remember?"

 _Alex._ Yeah. Alex fighting. Alex leaving. Alex dying. Kara squeezed her eyes closed and tears brimmed over the edge. "She's okay?" the blonde, her voice cracking as she tucked her knees against her chest.

J'onn nodded. "She's stable, unconscious and on a lot of morphine, but she'll make it. She's tough."

"The toughest," Kara agreed and let out a breath, her forehead falling against her knees. "Can I see her?"

"Not yet. She's about to go into surgery to fix an injury on her left foot and ankle. It'll be several more hours until she's in postop and conscious."

Kara sighed and nodded. "Is it dangerous?"

"A little, but the surgeons are confident that her chances are good. I was wondering if you would be able to help us with the alien tech your sister recovered. See if you know anything."

"Okay," Kara said, uncurling herself from Alex's chair and standing up, eager for a distraction.

She followed J'onn into a separate lab, took the small metal device into her hands and immediately wanted to put it down. Alex had almost died over the stupid foreign object resting in her fingers. The though made her sick and she turned away for a second, blonde hair sliding over her shoulder.

Hours passed as Kara fiddled with the object, determined to make Alex's mission mean something. A frustrated sigh filled the air and she gathered her hair in her hand, holding it out of her face. She was close to tossing the device across the room and deeming it useless when J'onn reentered the lab and slid a warm cup of coffee across the table to her.

"Your sister's awake. The doctors cleared her for visitors."

Kara stood up, worry shook in her stomach, but above everything, relief settled across her body. Alex was okay, Alex was alive. Everything else could be worked out.

A minute later found Kara outside Alex's postop recovery room, knocking softly on the door frame before walking in. "Alex?" she said quietly, as she lingered in the door way.

Alex opened her eyes, absorbing the sight of sister. "Hey, Kar," she said sleepily.

"Hey," Kara said and took a step toward Alex's bed. "Is it okay if I come in?"

Alex nodded, grimacing as she reached a hand out toward Kara, tugging on her stitches. "I want to see you."

Kara slipped her hand into Alex's and sat in the seat beside her bed. "How are you feeling?"

Alex gave a half shrug. "Fine."

Kara rolled her eyes. "That's what you always say."

" 'Cause it's true," Alex said, with a small smile. "Plus, I am on so many painkillers right now, you wouldn't even believe it."

Kara laughed softly, resting her head atop Alex's and feeling impossibly more affectionate toward her sister. "I'm really sorry for what I said before you left. I didn't mean it."

"I know," Alex said and brushed hair out of her sister's face, tucking a strand behind her ear.

"And you're always going to be my big sister. My years in the phantom zone don't really count anyway, but even if they did, I'd still want you to be my big sister, because you're the best and I-I've realized that you're always going to protect, even when I don't think I need it, but I do. I'm al-always going need you, Lexie." Kara brought a hand to her cheeks, wiping away the tears that'd slipped down her face.

"Don't think I don't need you too, Supergirl," Alex said. "The world is a better place with you in it."

"Well, that goes for you too, Alex." Kara readjusted her position and kissed her sister's head. Silence lapsed between them and Alex felt tears drip into her hair. She looked up as best she could and saw Kara's watery eyes and trembling lip.

"Hey, hey, hey, what's a matter," Alex said, trying to turn toward Kara and instantly regretting it when pain shot through her side. She eased herself back down with an annoyed sigh at her injuries and reached out to Kara, rubbing her back.

"You al-almost died and the last thing I'd s-said was that I h-hated you and then I went and ignored all- all your calls. I was horrible to you," Kara said. Alex moved her hand from Kara's back and slipped it into Kara's hand squeezing gently.

Kara let out a broken sob and grasped Alex's hand back, pulling it up to her face and leaning into it. Salty tears dripped between their fingers and over Alex's hand before splattering on to the floor.

"Kara, you were hurting and I knew you didn't mean what you said. We're sisters, we say things we don't mean all the time, but I'll always love you, and I know you love me too," Alex said, offering a small smile up at her sister.

Kara nodded as she cried. "I do. I love you so much, Alex."

"I know." Alex wiped the tears off Kara's face and slid over on the bed, patting the space beside her. "Come here."

"Are you s-sure there's space?" Kara asked, looking up.

"Always space for my little sister. Get up here, I'm cold and I want hugs."

Kara cracked a small watery smile and crawled into the cramped hospital bed, cuddling into Alex.

"You know, you said somethings the other day that kind of worried me," Alex said, leaning her head toward Kara and running a hand through her sister's hair.

Kara stayed quiet, shifting her eyes away from Alex.

"Sometimes you're so strong and you're so brave and determined and sweet," Alex continued, "That I forget how much you've been through and I forget how sad you might be sometimes. I should have paid more attention to how you were doing, I'm sorry."

Kara shrugged and looked up at Alex with big, innocent eyes. "It's okay."

"No, it's not, I should have known and I should've talked to you instead of going straight to J'onn," Alex shook her head. "I asked him not to let you go."

"I know. Nobody cares about my safety as much as you do," Kara said, smiling at her sister. "I understand."

"You can always talk to me, if you're sad or miss your parents or you're overwhelmed. I don't care what time or what it's for, you can always call me. You've always got me."

"I love you and I'm really lucky you're my sister."

"Ditto," Alex said, smirking at her sister. "I love you and I'm super lucky. Get it? _Super_ lucky."

Kara rolled her eyes, snuggling into the sheets. "Yeah, I get it. You're a dork." She sat up. "Speaking of which, I grabbed something for you!" Kara said with a smile, leaning over the side of the bed and shuffling through a small bag she'd brought.

"Here!" she said, grinning and holding up Alex's famous periodic table blanket.

"You did not!" Alex smiled. "You know this blanket is my absolute favorite blanket in the whole world."

"I know," Kara said, handing it to Alex. The brunette took the soft fabric in her hands, spreading it across the bed. "Thanks for this and thanks for coming to visit."

Kara smiled sweetly, her features soft in the light. "I'm glad you're safe."

"Me too," Alex said, letting her eyes slip closed as exhaustion began pulling her away. "and I'm glad you're safe… Will you stay here with me, at least for a little longer?" Alex asked, tugging the blanket tighter around her.

"There's nowhere I'd rather be," Kara said, running a hand through Alex's short hair as the oldest Danvers sister fell asleep, a small smile on her lips.


	13. Chapter 13 - Allergic Reaction

**A/N:** Long time, no see! I hope everything is going well for you all. Since I had a tie between a couple of prompts on the most recent poll, instead of creating a new poll I'll write and post the prompts that were tied. After that, I'll update the poll and let you know. :) Feel free to keep sending in prompts and I'll save them for the new poll.

Also, to the guest who reviewed the last chapter - thank you so much, your prompt will be added when the poll gets updated. :)

Special thanks to BiaZor-El for today's prompt, **Wh** **en Kara blows her powers she has an allergic reaction to food and a very scared Alex has to save her.**

I hope everyone enjoys the chapter and I'd love to hear your thoughts! As always, thanks for all your enthusiasm and support. I appreciate it. :)

* * *

"A bunch of us from the DEO are going to a New Year's Eve party tonight, you should come," Alex called as she let herself into Kara's apartment.

The blonde looked over from the couch, her head popping up from beneath a blanket. The fabric gathered around her shoulders and she peered up at Alex through mused, messy hair. "Huh?" she asked.

"Are you feeling okay?" Alex said, brows furrowed as she plopped beside Kara on the couch and extended a hand toward her forehead.

Kara wrinkled her nose and moved Alex's hand away. " 'm fine, just tired after yesterday's fight. I can't get sick, remember?"

Alex sighed and slumped against the couch. "I know you're not supposed to get sick, but I like to check because it _has_ happened before," she said. "But… if you _are_ feeling fine, you should go to the party with me." The brunette nudged her sister's leg and smiled expectantly at her.

"I'm tired," Kara groaned and turned back into the couch, shoving her face between the cushions.

"Come on, you've been spending too much time holed up in here. I'm worried about you, you have to live a little." Alex leaned over and tickled Kara's side. "You can't go all boring on me now."

Kara squirmed, limbs flailing and feet kicking as she grabbed a pillow and flung it at Alex, before the blonde slipped to the floor.

"Ow," she said dully, looking bored as she glared at Alex, who'd caught the pillow.

"Seriously?" the agent asked, blowing dark hair out of her face and extending a hand out to Kara. "Get up."

"You started it," Kara grumbled as she let Alex pull her back onto the couch. The blonde crammed her face into another pillow, snuggling into the fabric with a content sigh.

Alex rolled her eyes.

Kara couldn't explain the heaviness in her limbs or the weight that kept pulling her eyes closed as she burrowed beneath a blanket and felt warmth bundle her up. Somewhere in her head she had a gnawing notion that something was wrong, that maybe she'd pushed a little too hard the previous night and had blown her powers. She almost considered mentioning it to Alex, had barely parted her lips to speak before changing her mind. She was just _so tired_ ; she didn't want to worry Alex or summon the energy fend off her concern. So instead, Kara let her eyes close.

"Will you _please_ go with me?"

Kara's voice was muffled by the couch when she replied. "You just want to go so you can see the cute guy from engineering that you've been eyeing all week."

Alex found her eyes rolling again. "You're annoying."

Kara smirked into her pillow.

"And you're wrong. I want to go because it'll be fun, and you need some fun."

"I do not."

"If you go we'll get ice cream later or something," Alex tried.

Kara pulled her head away from the pillow and sat up. "I'm an adult, I can get ice cream myself."

"True, _but_ you know it's so much better when you go with someone else. So, are you in?"

With a groan, Kara threw herself back against the couch. "Fine, but you have to pick out something for me to wear, I'm not in the proper state to make decisions right now."

Alex patted Kara's thigh and stood up. "Sure thing."

/

"Alex, I don't know about this," Kara whispered as she tugged on the hem of her sapphire dress. "It reminds me of that time in high school you made me go to the party at Ashley's house with you and the skirt you told me to wear was at least three inches shorter than anything I'd ever seen before."

"You had fun," Alex said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "And you'll have fun now."

"We played spin the bottle and I had to kiss that crazy kid on the football team, the one that never showered after practice. _Then,_ we played truth or dare and somehow I got stuck on the roof. By myself. It rained and I couldn't use my powers to come down. People forgot I was there. I got locked out."

"Still fun."

Kara shook her head. "Awful. My dress is too short."

"It's perfect."

"I'm hungry."

"Good. There will be food."

"I'm tired."

"You'll feel better, just loosen up a bit," Alex said as they entered the building and turned down the hall.

Kara sighed and Alex stopped walking, putting an arm on Kara's shoulder, the blonde wanted to lean into her sister's touch but forced herself to keep standing straight. "How about this?" Alex suggested, "We'll stay for an hour and if you still want to go home, we'll go together. Okay?"

"Okay," Kara repeated with a nod. Alex smiled at her, giving a small squeeze to her shoulder. "You'll be fine."

/

"Alex, something's wrong."

"Ugh, I know," Alex yelled over the music, emerging from the crowd of people and flashing lights. A thin sheen of sweat glimmered on her hairline and Kara dully noted the drink that looked suspiciously alcoholic in Alex's hand. "I saw you got stuck in an awkward conversation with that jerky guy from the labs. I would have come and saved you earlier but I got caught up with -

Kara shook her head, sharp enough that strands of blonde hair loosened from her braid. "No, it's not like that. I don't feel right."

"You're blood sugar's probably just low. Come on, let's go find something for you to eat." Alex placed her free hand on Kara's elbow and began leading her forward, navigating through the sea of people.

Kara stopped walking and shook her head again. With each passing second her chest was growing heavier, her breath shallow and her throat tight. "I feel like I can't breathe and my stomach hurts and everything feels itchy."

"Are you just trying to get out of this? Look, fifteen more minutes and then we'll go."

"No! Alex, it's not that," Kara said, tears burning in her widening eyes. "I can't breathe. I- Alex, I _really_ don't feel good." She stumbled forward a bit, feeling dizzy as the room blurred in front of her. Voices and figures blended together, forming jumbled, moving spots of color and loud clatter that pounded in her ears.

Alex reached out, holding Kara up as the blonde slumped forward. The action sobered Alex and she pulled out her phone, quickly dialing the DEO and calling for an ambulance fitted specifically for Supergirl.

The brunette felt her heartrate rise as she moved Kara out of the room. Despite years of training in high stress situations, she found herself struggling to stay calm whenever Kara's safety was at stake.

"Hey, hey, Kara, it's going to be okay. You'll be okay. I've got you," Alex said as she lowered Kara to the ground in the empty lobby of the building, the younger Danvers wrapping her arms around her abdomen, body lurching as she coughed.

"I need you to tell me what feels bad so we can figure out what's wrong," Alex said, keeping her voice low and calm.

Kara nodded, panting as she cried and forced out the words to explain to Alex the sharp, stabbing pain in her stomach; the tightness of her skin; the pressure in her chest and her throat and the feeling that it was getting harder and harder to pull oxygen into her body.

Gently, Alex pressed a hand to Kara's cheek. "You're flush," she said softly. "And you're shaking."

"I feel cold," Kara said, leaning against Alex.

The brunette slipped off her coat and wrapped it around Kara, as the younger girl's shallow breath turned to hollow wheezing and she strained for air. Alex gently touched Kara's swollen, red face when it clicked.

"You're having an allergic reaction," Alex said suddenly and Kara's eyes widened. "No, it's okay. This is good, it means we know how to fix it. You're going to be just fine," Alex promised even though her hands were shaking and her skin was paling and her heart was racing; even though she knew how life threatening the situation could become if help didn't come quick.

"Kara," Alex said to her sister's hunched, gasping form. "I need to go back into the party and see if anyone has medicine, okay? The ambulance will be here soon, but maybe we can fix this now."

Kara feverishly shook her head, more hair escaping her braid as tears dripped from her cheeks to her chin before splattering against the tiled floor. Her chest was heaving, bile rising in her swelling throat. With a shaking limb, she reached out for Alex and grabbed her hand, squeezing tightly despite the havoc wracking her body.

Alex returned the squeeze and knelt in front of her sister. "I have to go. As soon as you get some medicine into you, you're going to feel so much better, just hang on a little longer. I know you can do it."

"No, don't go, don't go," Kara whispered between sobs and quivering, high pitched gasps as Alex stood up.

The agent had to peel Kara's fingers from her hand to release the younger girl. "I'll be right back," Alex promised, her heart breaking at Kara's whimpers. Alex didn't want to abandon her fraught sister, not on the cold lobby floor of a party she hadn't even wanted to go to; not here, not now, not anywhere.

"You'll be okay, Kar, I know you will. I'll be back before you know it, just do your best to keep breathing." Alex pressed a kiss to Kara's hair and the blonde watched through spotty, fading vision as her sister disappeared down the hall, shoes squeaking against the tile.

It took less than three minutes, less than one hundred eighty seconds, for Alex's yelling for EpiPen to get it placed in her hand by a stranger, to whom Alex called her thanks as she sped back to the lobby, bumping both people and furniture as she ran. In the same time, the hurt radiating through Kara's body had doubled, tripled, quadrupled until everything was hot with pain and her breath was a thin, strangled gulp for air. Distantly she heard Alex's voice growing closer, growing louder; but everything hurt and she just—she couldn't breathe and she couldn't think as the lights in the room dimmed and black flooded her vision. Her consciousness was fleeting and then her consciousness was gone.

A dull noise resonated through the room as Alex dropped to her knees beside Kara and pressed the needle into Kara's thigh.

The blonde's eyes slowly opened, peering at Alex through swollen, red skin. Kara sought out her sister's gaze and clung to it. She wheezed slightly and made a move to get closer to Alex. The older sister took Kara's hand. "You're going to be okay now."

"Alex, I'm scared," Kara rasped and hiccupped between cries.

"Oh, I know," Alex said and stroked Kara's hair, pulling the blonde into her lap. Kara curled against her big sister and tangled her shaking fingers in Alex's dark hair as the burning tightness that had flooded her body began to ebb away. "But you don't have to be anymore," Alex continued, rubbing circles on the back of her trembling, weakened sister. "I gave you some medicine that's going to help you feel better really fast and then we'll get in the ambulance and they'll give you more medicine and we'll arrive at the DEO and you'll be good as new."

Kara nodded and her throat loosened. She sucked in a series of deep breaths and nestled closer to Alex, feeling shakier and more vulnerable than she had in years. Alex wrapped her arms around her sister, hugging her securely, firmly as they slowly rocked. Tears dripped onto Kara as Alex held her close and tucked her head into Kara's hair. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, breath warm against Kara in their close proximity. "I'm so sorry, Kar, I should have listened to you, I should have paid more attention – you blew your powers and I didn't even notice, I shouldn't have made you come."

In the distance sirens rang closer, music seeped into the lobby, a dog barked outside. Kara pressed more tightly against Alex and shook her head. "Not your fault," she muttered sleepily. "But I'd forgive you anyway."

Alex closed her eyes, feeling the soft, consistent presence of Kara's warmth. "I need to be a better big sister for you," Alex said. "I promise I'll try to be better."

"Impossible. You're already the best."

Alex shook her head, she didn't have words to tell Kara how grateful and how sorry she was. She didn't know how to describe the worry, the panic, that'd prickled through her body as she'd watched Kara stumble and fall and struggle to breathe. With words, she couldn't convey the guilt, heavy in her stomach. So instead, she told Kara over and over again how much she loved her as the DEO medics arrived, and she held her sister's hand until long after the sun had finally slipped back into the sky.


	14. Chapter 14 - Time Travel

**A/N:** The prompt that I received for this chapter had me so excited that I started writing it weeks ago, when it was first submitted and received votes. For days and days and days I've been working on this, until it ended up being crazy long, so this prompt will be split into three parts. Luckily, all three parts are finished. I'll post the next two chapters within the following few days. I think this first chapter reads better without the prompt being known (to keep things as a bit of a surprise) so the prompt is stated at the bottom of this chapter. Thank you so much to the guest who submitted it!

Also, thanks for all your lovely reviews, favorites, follows, and reads.

The poll has been updated, so head over there and vote if you'd like, and send in prompts, too, if you please!

I truly hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)

 **Time Travel - Part 1**

* * *

J'onn paced slowly around his office as he looked at Alex and Kara. "I need you to both understand that this is a very dangerous mission. The alien technology you'll likely encounter is extremely reactive, it is perceptive and certain pieces have been reported to react with strong memories and alter time for the beings around them."

"So, like, time moves slower or faster?" Kara asked.

J'onn shook his head. "Time travel."

"Really?"

He nodded. "It's for that reason that you need to avoid touching the technology as much as possible. In the event that something does go awry, Agent Danvers will have a pack with as much DEO tech we can give you that will be useful in a variety of situations. We don't have time to go over each piece now, but most of it should be self-explanatory. A conclusive report of the area and technology that resides there is of the utmost importance and needed rapidly before we have more civilians stumbling down into the alien region, once is more than enough," he said, shaking his head. "We need to know what we're dealing with."

/

"Kara, are you for real right now? Don't touch it," Alex said, without even glancing at her sister. They'd been inside the ruinous temple for over an hour, taking pictures and documenting the area as the sun dipped below the horizon.

"I'm not!"

"I literally just saw you reach toward it."

"You're not even looking at me!"

"I was when you moved your hand."

Kara rolled her eyes. "It looks familiar. I think I've seen it before."

"Yeah, well, J'onn said that there could be weird stuff here."

"Hey!" Kara exclaimed, feigning offense.

This time, Alex was the one who rolled her eyes and smiled. "Just be care-" She was cut off by the sound of metal clattering to the floor.

"Seriously, Kara?!"

The blonde shrugged. "I didn't mean to… it just vibrated and … fell. It looks like something from Krypton."

Both girls leaned down to pick up the object when a bright flash of light filled the area. Kara reached for Alex, lacing their hands together as a loud whoosh sounded through the area and echoed off the stone. The flash was overtaken by a deep black that flooded the air, blanketing the room in total darkness.

There was a sensation of movement and in the brief moment she had to think before they were flung into another world, Kara decided it was almost like flying, just faster and completely out of her control.

/

Kara brushed her fingers against the wall, glancing slowly around the room that had appeared around them.

"Kara, where is this? Where are we?" Alex asked, doubled over slightly. While Kara's powers had dissipated when they reached the new time, it appeared they'd protected her from the effects of high speed travel. Alex, on the other hand, felt a little bit like she might die, or throw up, maybe both at the same time. She sighed and straightened up. "What happened?"

Kara dropped her hand from the wall, turning around to gaze at the other side of the room and taking slow steps around the area. "I think we did more than time travel," she answered, "This is… This is my home. This is Krypton."

Kara moved over to the couch and ran her hand over the white fabric. "This is my living room, my apartment. I-I grew up here." She suddenly moved, running quickly to a desk and opening a drawer, shuffling around until she produced a small magnetic calendar.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," Kara whispered, raising a hand to her mouth.

"What is it?" Alex asked.

Kara didn't respond, she bundled her hair in her fingers, pulling it out of her face and let out a long, heavy sigh. Her fingers trembled as she touched the calendar.

"Kara," Alex said again, taking a step closer to her sister. "What's a matter?"

The blonde looked at Alex, making eye contact for the first time since they'd arrived. Her eyes looked tired and moist, her hair messy. She bit her bottom lip. "Krypton explodes three days from now, in sixty eight hours."

Kara swallowed as tears sprung from her eyes. "I don't know what's happening," she whispered, and immediately Alex pulled her sister into her arms.

"We'll figure it out. We'll fix it."

Kara nodded and silence hung between them until a voice came from a bedroom, it was warm and familiar and made Kara's stomach ache with love and longing.

"Kara, honey, is that you? What are you doing up so late? You should be -"

The woman froze as she entered the living room, eyes falling upon the two seemingly unknown figures.

"Mom," Kara gasped, raising a hand to cover her mouth, and her breath was stuck in her throat and her heart was racing but her heart was soaring, too, and her lips were smiling and tears were gathering in her eyes and falling all over again. "Mom…" she repeated, in an exhale of disbelief so quiet that her voice was barely a ripple in the air.

"Kara?" Alura asked. She furrowed her brows, studying the blonde's face, taking in the juxtaposition of the familiar features and the foreign maturity.

The smile widened across Kara's face and for a moment, all was forgotten. She was beaming. She nodded feverishly, sending tears dripping from the edge of her cheeks and splattering on the floor. "Yes, it's me, Mom. It's Kara, your Kara. I mean not _your_ Kara, right now, but _your_ Kara. Just older. It's me, just older."

Alura was still and it took Kara a moment to notice her mother was crying.

"Alura? Is everything okay?" Kara's father, Zor-El, emerged from her parents' bedroom.

Alura made eye contact with him before returning her gaze to Kara, unwilling to look away. Her heart was swelling with love, and warmth was tingling in the core of her body, spreading to her limbs. "It's Kara," she whispered and her voice was hoarse. "It's our baby all grown up."

Tears poured down Kara's face, she tucked her chin toward her chest, looking at the floor before raising her gaze back up at her parents.

"It's really her?" Zor-El asked.

Alura nodded. "I don't know how it happened, but I know our daughter, I know Kara. I would recognize those eyes anywhere."

Kara's dad turned back to his daughter, gazing at her as his heart thumped in his chest.

"I can prove it's me," Kara said quickly. "My birth name is Kara Zor-El, I was born here on Krypton. My twelve year old self has a bedtime right now of 22:00, I remember that, because on our last night," Kara's voice cracked and she swallowed a sob, it felt like she might splinter under the weight of sadness, "… I remember because on our last night together you let me break it and we stayed up looking at pictures and telling stories and just being together until dawn had just broken and I fell asleep in your arms for the last time. I snuck into your bedroom almost every night until was nine because some-sometimes I got scared and I didn't want to be alone."

Kara looked at her mom, saw the face she'd missed for so long. "Your favorite color is purple and you would sing to me when I got sick and kiss me when I got hurt and you- you have a drawer on the left side of the desk where you keep every scrap of paper I've ever given you." Kara wiped a tear off her face in a futile attempt to dry her cheeks.

She turned to her dad, her words growing faster and breathier with each passing second. "And you taught me about planets in space and sometimes when mom worked late we'd watch movies together past my bed night, even on school nights and once every year you'd let me skip school so I could go to work with you and I'd sit in your lap, and at night, every night for years, you would both read to me in bed."

Kara let out a breath that pattered against the back of her teeth and felt like her stomach was clenching. She glanced at the clock on the wall. "And… in a little less than sixty eight hours, you both know that Krypton will explode and we'll have that last night together and then you're going to send me to Earth to protect Kal-El," Kara paused, sucking in a shaking breath as her parents gazed at her. "And I know-" She froze, words caught in her throat as tears choked their way out. She couldn't continue. "Sorry," she murmured as she shook her head and looked down.

Alex wanted nothing more than to wrap Kara up and hug all her pain away but the agent didn't move, instead, she watched.

Kara's mom was at the blonde's side before Kara could notice she'd even moved. "Mama, I missed you," Kara cried softly, feeling little and drowning in a thousand emotions. Then her dad was there too and Kara was too happy to have her parents there to notice Alex stepping back and fidgeting, nervously tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

There were hands and familiar arms wrapped around Kara, noses and foreheads touching, lips pressed against her hair. It all happened so quickly. It all felt so _right,_ like a gaping hole had been filled her in lungs and she could finally breathe for the first time in so long.

She'd dreamed about this moment; for her first few year on Earth, it felt as though reuniting with her parents was the only good dream she'd ever been able to remember. It was a relief to have a break from the nightmares, but feeling so hopelessly happy in her dream always led to a devastating crash in the morning, when reality hit like ice in her veins.

But now, in this moment, it was real. Her parents were real, this moment was real.

She was hanging on.

She hadn't felt so light in years, it was intoxicating. Every prior instant of apparent happiness or content since Krypton exploded felt invalidated by this moment.

Alex dropped her head and adverted her gaze.

Kara couldn't stop talking, couldn't stop crying.

She leaned back and Alura reached out, brushing the tears off Kara's cheeks with the pads of her thumbs. The blonde closed her eyes. The touch was so gentle, and Kara felt guilty knowing that despite Eliza giving her everything to Kara and being as wonderful and supportive and loving as she had, this— _this_ —was the touch Kara had craved for years. This feeling. This wholeness in her chest and warmness in her heart that felt like hot chocolate and sunshine and marshmallows and rainbows and everything good in the universe was flowing through her veins from her core to the tips of her fingers and lighting up everything in between.

"I know that you loved me," Kara began, there was so much she was feeling, so much she needed to say. "That you love me now, and I hope- I hope you know how much I love you, too."

"We love you, sweetie, so, so much. And we know you love us, you showed it every day," Alura said and Kara's dad nodded.

Kara swallowed and shifted her gaze between each parent every few seconds, she wanted to make sure she remembered every detail, and guarded each piece of information so that it never escaped her mind.

"It turns out okay, you know," Kara said, a small, watery smile tugging across her lips. "Going to Earth. Kal-El was okay. I was okay…" Kara turned around, looking at Alex, where she'd quietly stood to the side, unnoticed. "You were right, I have powers over there, I got to become Supergirl, I get help people," Kara gestured to her Supergirl suit. "I missed you a lot, but I didn't have to do things alone when I got to Earth." Kara gestured to her sister before smiling proudly back to her parents. "Mom, Dad, this is… this is my big sister, Alex. Her family, the Danvers, took me in and adopted me when I arrived on Earth, I don't think..." she shrugged and looked back at Alex, her eyes shiny. "I don't think I would have made it without them."

Rosy blush colored Alex's cheeks and she smiled back at Kara and her parents.

Alura watched the interaction, the soft smiles shared between the girls and the warm looks, it was everything she wished she and Astra could have had as sisters. She bypassed Alex's outstretched hand and pulled the girl into a hug.

Alex smiled and laughed softly, surprised and stiff at first before relaxing. She hugged Alura back and shook Zor-El's outstretched hand.

Beside them Kara beamed, clasping her fingers together and bringing her hands toward her face. She caught Alex's eyes and as they shared widening smiles, Kara felt so happy she thought her heart might explode into glitter or something equally wild and sparkly.

A few moments later Alura pulled back and Zor-El released Alex's hand. Kara watched as Alex dipped her head in an attempt to covertly wipe away a tear. Kara reached out and squeezed Alex's palm.

"How did you get here?" Zor-El asked, looking at both sisters.

"To be honest, we're not entirely sure," Alex said and Kara continued, "We were investigating an area linked to alien devices when we came in contact with unknown tech, which must've been a time machine."

Alex nodded in agreement.

"It's kind of awesome actually," Kara said with a grin.

Alura smiled, she'd never expected that she'd be able to see her daughter so grown up. It made her indescribably happy to see that, despite everything, Kara was still the same smiley girl Alura had been so lucky to know and raise for twelve years.

"Well, we need to get you girls home then," Alura said.

"No," Kara spoke up suddenly and all three turned to face her.

She stiffened.

"Sweetheart, you have a life to live, a world to keep protecting with Alex, with your sister," Zor-El said. "Earth needs Supergirl."

Kara cried hopelessly in her mind that she needed Krypton.

"As much as it will pain us to see you go, you must return to Earth," Alura said, "It's where you belong now, Krypton is dying."

Alura ran a hand over Kara's arm but the blonde stepped back, shaking her head. "No," she repeated. "No, we can fix this. We can—we can save you guys, we can save Krypton."

"Baby, Krypton's already gone," Alura said gently. "The timeline's set. We can't alter it, any attempts to do so would be too perilous." Kara looked around, heartbroken to see her father and sister nodding in agreement.

"There has to be something! There has to be a way… there has to," Kara gathered a tangle of blonde hair in her fist and a sob shook her shoulders.

Alura pulled her daughter into her arms. Kara cried harder.

"I don't want to go, I don't ever want to leave you," Kara murmured into her mom's shoulder. "Not again."

Kara hadn't expected to feel those arms again, the embrace that comforted her as she'd grown up, through bad days at school and illness and injuries. Those arms were there—had always been there—to hold her up, to support her, and to keep her warm.

The touch was just as sweet and welcoming as she'd remembered, like being wrapped in a blanket after a cold day or slipping into bed late at night and falling asleep with heavy eyelids before you even had time to think. It was relief; it was safety; it was home.

She didn't know how much she'd missed it until she'd gotten it back, for a splinter of a second, only to say goodbye again.

She hated saying goodbye.

A few moments passed and Kara leaned back, straightening up and wiping her cheeks. "Sorry," she sniffled.

Alura wiped away her own tears before reaching out and tilting Kara's chin up. "My sweet daughter, you have suffered more than anyone I have ever met and you have remained so strong. You are made of steel. Do not apologize for feeling, do not apologize for crying."

Kara nodded and shrugged, keeping her gaze trained on the ground as her cheeks flushed. Alex pulled her into a side hug and it helped remind Kara that not all was lost on Earth. She wasn't alone.

Zor-El put a hand on Kara's shoulder and she realized with conflicting emotions that she was surrounded by the three people that loved her most in the whole universe. At the same time that her heart fluttered she felt something of a sad yank, for her time was waning, and their moments together were fleeting, set on a timer from the moment she'd arrived.

"We need to get you back to your time as soon as possible to minimize any risks," Zor-El said.

"We should have you home before the sun rises," Alura agreed.

Kara took a shuddery breath as she turned to a counter in the living room and picked up a small object. "Here," she said, opening her palm and extending her hand. "This is the device that brought us to Krypton."

* * *

Prompt: **Kara and Alex somehow time-travel to Krypton and Alex meets Kara's parents. Together the four of them have to figure out a way to get Alex and Kara back to their time before Krypton explodes.**


	15. Chapter 15 - Time Travel (Part 2)

**A/N:** Hello, thank you so much for the nice feedback on the last chapter! So, after reading your reviews (they were all so sweet and thoughtful, you made my day!) I decided to go back and edit/re-add some scenes I had considered but originally cut. In doing so, this prompt has actually turned it a wildly long four part saga - I hope that's cool with you all! Unfortunately, the bad news is that Part 3 might come a little later than I had first planned, due to a scene I'm reworking.

To the wonderful guest that reviewed (and submitted this prompt) - Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad you've liked it so far, and I hope you continue to do so. As for the rest, you'll see pretty soon ;) Thanks again!

Keep voting on the poll if you haven't already!

Prompt: **Kara and Alex somehow time-travel to Krypton and Alex meets Kara's parents. Together the four of them have to figure out a way to get Alex and Kara back to their time before Krypton explodes.**

 **Time Travel - Part 2**

* * *

"There's got to be a way to fix it," Alex said as they went on to their second hour of examining the device.

"I know I've seen this before," Zor-El said.

Kara perked up, smirking smugly at Alex. "I told you!"

"Yeah, well, you're right sometimes. It happens," Alex said with a loving eye roll.

Kara bumped her sister with her shoulder. For the first time _ever_ she didn't have to worry about controlling her strength. On Krypton, she was normal, she was perfectly in tune. It felt nice, less scary, not to constantly be under the pressure to remember to withhold. It was relaxing to shed the fear that she might accidently hurt people she loved.

"Alex!" she exclaimed after her revelation.

The brunette looked at her sister with a raised brow. "Yeah?"

"I just realized that I can finally hug you without holding back," Kara said as she tackled Alex into a hug on the couch and squeezed her sister tightly so that their cheeks were pressing together.

Alex wrinkled her nose but hugged Kara back, embracing her sister firmly and feeling warmth spread through her body. Alex wasn't sure she'd ever seen Kara happier than she'd been today. It simultaneously made Alex's heart swell with jubilance and crack with sadness for her sister, because regardless of whether or not they were successful in fixing the time machine, Kara was going to lose her parents, her home, her whole planet for the second time in her twenty four years of conscious life.

So Alex hugged her sister a little tighter and refused to pull away until Kara did so first.

A few moments passed before Kara gave Alex a final squeeze. "I love you," Alex whispered in Kara's ear as she pulled back.

"You too," Kara had said, and she was beaming. She stood up and plopped beside her dad. "Anything new?" she asked, nodding toward the time traveling object in his hand.

"It's definitely Kryptonian," he answered. "And it's ancient. I know a place at the university that has a specialized robotic collection of information regarding ancient devices involved in time travel. Up until this point, it was all believed to be myth."

"Is it open now?" Alura asked, looking hopeful.

He nodded. "It doesn't close on weekdays. I'll go now."

"We can all go!" Kara said.

Zor-El shook his head. "Staying in the apartment will reduce the risk of upsetting the timeline. I'll go alone, it shouldn't be too long, I'll be back by two this morning."

Kara sunk back against the couch, agreeing with her dad's logic but abhorring it anyway. She wanted to have her family together for as long as possible before being forced to say goodbye again. With a tight hug and quick bye, Zor-El was out the door and heading to the university.

"I'm going to try something, if that's okay," Alex said, picking up the device after she received nods of affirmation. The other two women stood up to follow her. "You two could stay here if you'd like," Alex said with a meaningful look, knowing how much Kara would later appreciate having time alone with her mother. "I'll really just be fiddling around with the parts to see if I can get this thing glowing again."

Both women smiled gratefully at Alex before showing her to a small office and returning to the living area to talk and enjoy being together. Kara didn't know how much she could share about the future, wasn't sure what might matter or what was entirely insignificant and harmless to say.

"Alex is amazing," Kara said, "She's always had my back and she's been right by my side the whole time, I really couldn't have done anything without her."

Alura smiled. "She seems like a lovely person."

Kara nodded vigorously. "She is. She's incredible. She's so brave and smart and fun. We spend a lot of time together, she keeps me grounded, she protects me, even when I don't think I need it." Kara continued to gush about Alex to Alura, the blonde had always wanted her mother to meet Alex and now that they had this brief sliver of a moment, she wanted her mom to know as much as she could. She wanted her mom to love Alex.

Kara bit her tongue when it came to talking about Kal-El and the delay in her own arrival on Earth, but then, she opened her mouth again.

"Mom?" she said and Alura looked up, urging her daughter continue.

"I have to tell you something, but you have to promise you won't let this change the plan that's already in place for me and Kal-El."

Alura nodded and leaned forward, sensing her daughter's nervousness and clasping her daughter's hands in her own. "I promise you."

"Mom, I messed up, I failed you," Kara said, gently pulling her hand away from Alura and rubbing her forehead with a sigh. The older woman waited patiently for Kara to continue. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but I feel like I have to, I just need to know that you wouldn't- that you wouldn't be mad or disappointed in me. When Krypton exploded, it… it knocked my pod off course into the Phantom Zone, I was stuck there in stasis for twenty four years. By the time I got to Earth, Kal-El was already all grown up, he was there when I landed." Tears brimmed in Kara's eyes as she continued, her words growing faster. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't do what you wanted me to… I do my best now and we talk all the time. He turned out better than fine, I just wish I could have been there. I wish I hadn't let you- let you down and I-"

Alura stood up and Kara thought she might be walking away, Kara's heart lurched in her chest, but then Alura crossed the short distance between the two couches and sat so close to Kara that their shoulders touched, she pulled the blonde against her. "Kara, love, what happened was beyond your control. I wouldn't blame you for an instant." Kara sniffled and nodded and let her head fall against her mother's shoulder. Alura stroked her daughter's hair. "I don't want you to think for a moment that I'm not proud of you. It's so important that you know you have never let me down, okay? I'm so proud of everything you've done and everything you'll do, I believe in you, my daughter."

"Okay," Kara nodded tearfully. "Thank you," she said and curled against her mother, wishing she had her superhearing so she could listen to her mom's heartbeat and commit it to memory. "I love you," Kara whispered softly.

Alura continued to run her fingers over Kara's hair. "I love you, too, sweet girl."

They sat like that for a few more moment, soaking in the feeling of togetherness and trying to ignore the impending goodbye. After a few minutes Kara straightened up slowly. "Am I sleeping right now? You know, like, the younger me?"

Alura nodded. "You should be."

"Can I go see me?" Kara asked, twisting her fingers together against her Super Suit. "I won't wake myself up or anything, that could mess with the whole timeline, but I just want to…" she trailed off with a shrug.

With a smile, Alura nodded again and stood up with Kara. "Of course. Go," she said, gently patting Kara's back.

The blonde took a step toward her bedroom, the route she would know like the back of her hand for the rest of her life, before turning around and giving her mom a tight hug. When they finished, Kara smiled and made her way down the hall, Alura watched her with moist, shiny eyes, until she disappeared from sight.

Kara stepped through the doorway to her bedroom. It was almost exactly as she remembered, a little messier, a little smaller maybe, but it was hers and it was perfect. She knew that room, could navigate it in the dark without the slightest hesitation. She knew the drawer that was filled with pictures of her and her friends and her family; she knew the place on her bookshelf that held her favorite novels, could name each one; she knew where the paint collection sat underneath her bed and which colors she was always running low on.

The room was dimly lit by starlight that shone through the window and scattered particles across the white walls and the white bed. Everything was so white and innocent, and then Kara saw herself, at twelve years old, sprawled beneath the covers, curling into a pillow, sleeping in the same position Kara did today.

There were a few books stacked on the floor at the foot of her bed, some for school and some for fun; and she remembered that she'd considered not putting those books away, because what was the point if her whole planet was going to explode? What did it matter if a few books didn't make it back to their home on the shelf?

Kara also remembered, that just a few hours before she'd left Krypton, she'd returned to her room and tucked her books back into their individual places; deciding that just because she was losing her home, didn't mean anything else deserved the same.

Each memory leading up to those final moments on her planet were burned into her mind. She shoved them away as she took a seat beside her younger self.

It was strange, to see herself so young and small. She felt oddly affectionate and detached simultaneously, almost as though she were looking at a different person—maybe a little sister or cousin, but at the same time, it was her and she knew it was her.

Kara reached out and stroked her younger self's hair, carefully, gently as though not to wake her. The blonde was overcome with emotion, she knew how much she would have been struggling back then, knew how scared she felt and how brave she had tried to act. There she was, a small, innocent creature barely in double digits, about to head out into the infinite universe, lost and orphaned.

"I'm sorry," Kara whispered through tears. "I'm sorry you have to do this, but you're going to be okay. Even when it doesn't feel like it, you'll be okay. You will. I promise, you will."

/

There was a knock on the office doorframe and Alex turned around to see Alura hovering in the threshold.

"Hello, Mrs. Zor-El" Alex said with a smile, putting the object down and turning to face Alura.

"Please, call me Alura," she said, earning a nod from Alex. "Here, sit down." The older woman led Alex to a couch where they sat down. "I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for my daughter."

"It's been my pleasure, truly" Alex said. "Kara means everything to me. I'm lucky to know her."

Alura smiled, it was inexplicable how comforting it was to know that her daughter was protected on Earth, that her daughter wasn't alone, she'd found a family. "She's lucky to have you."

Alex shrugged and felt blush reddening her cheeks. "Sometimes I wish there was more I could do for her, I try my best but some nights, especially in the beginning, I never felt like I was enough."

"Well, I assure you, whatever you've done, you've done it well and you've done it right. You sound like my Kara, always too hard on yourselves." Alura put an arm on Alex's shoulder. "I can't imagine what it must have been like to take Kara in and to care for her after all the trauma she'd been through and all the new powers and sensations of Earth. I will never be able to express how much I appreciate what your family has done, I am forever grateful."

Alex saw tears forming in Alura's eyes, and felt them pricking in her own. "What you did, sending Kara away, was brave. I know when she first arrived, she was hurting so deeply, but you gave her a chance at life and she leapt on it. She became a hero," Alex said and she was so proud of her sister. "She changed my life and she changed my whole world, she changed Earth. It's a better place because your daughter is there, because she decided to take an unbearable tragedy and turn it into an opportunity to do good, and I'm not even surprised, because that's what Kara does, that's who she is. So, thank you for all that you've done for her and for me, too, I couldn't have asked for a better sister. It's an honor to meet you, after all the great things I've heard from Kara. I never thought I'd have the chance, but I'm so thankful that I do."

"It's an honor to meet you, too. Kara loves talking about you," Alura said with a smile, "She's proud of you; proud to have you as a sister. She was bragging about you, it's apparent that she loves you very much."

"I would die for her," Alex said, without hesitating on a single word. "She means everything to me. I would risk my life to save hers in a heartbeat. I love her so much."

Alura glanced at Alex, looking at her for a long moment before tugging the younger woman into a firm hug. Alex let out a soft 'oh' before she reciprocated the action.

"I know we've only just met and I wish we could meet under better circumstances and get to know each other well, but since we lack the luxury, I want you to know that I would have loved you if I'd had the pleasure of knowing you, because I love you now, even in these short few hours, I can tell that you're a good person, made for good things. When you get back to Earth—and we _will_ get you back, don't worry for a moment—would you please give your parents my sincerest thank you. I know it's not enough, but I'm afraid it's all I have to give."

Alex shook her head. "It's enough, it's more than enough. My family loves Kara so much, they would have loved you, too. I love you, too," Alex said, time was dwindling and she refused to filter her feelings.

"Your parents, may I ask their names?"

"Of course. My mother is Eliza Danvers, she's a bioengineer, like me; my dad was Jerimiah Danvers, he was a scientist."

"He's gone now?"

Alex nodded, then paused. "For years we thought he had died in a plane crash, a while after Kara arrived. But recently, things have come up and we're not sure anymore," Alex said, unaware of why she was mentioning it. "He might even be alive."

"I hope he is," Alura said, taking Alex's hand into her own. "Thank you, again, for everything you've done for Kara, for accepting her into your life and family. I'm glad she has a sister and I'm grateful that it's you."

Alex smiled, hugging Alura as they both stood up. "Kara's really special, I think since coming to Earth, both her life and mine are better because we have each other. We're a team. So, you're welcome, but I owe thanks to you, as well."

"Will you promise me one thing?" Alura asked and Alex nodded.

"Please keep your eye on Kara. I know she's a… well, she's a superhero now, and she's very capable, but it makes me feel better to know someone's looking out for her and you've done such a wonderful job already I just…"

Alex gave Alura's hand a reassuring squeeze as the older woman trailed off. Alex looked Alura in the eyes. "You have my word."

/

"Hey," Alex said quietly from the doorway to Kara's bedroom, leaning up against the frame with her arms crossed across her chest.

Kara looked up to see her sister and was glad her own tears had fled and dried. Light from the stars was glowing around her, catching in her blonde hair and illuminating her body against the darkness.

"Hey," Kara repeated.

"So, this is it?" Alex said, looking around the area. "This is where little Kara grew up?"

The blonde nodded. "For the first part of my life." The lack of a smile worried Alex.

"You okay?" she softly asked, approaching Kara and running a hand over her hair before giving her shoulder a warm squeeze.

Kara nodded, giving a soft 'yeah' as she did so. Alex nudged Kara until they she slid over and they were sharing the chair.

"What are you doing?" Kara asked tiredly, softly.

"I wanted to come see you," Alex said, then gestured to the bed. "Both of you," she added with raised brows, tugging a small smile from Kara.

"You're twelve here, right?"

Kara nodded again.

"God, you were so cute, what happened?" Alex teased and was overwhelmingly glad when Kara let out an offended 'hey' and quiet laugh, elbowing her sister gently.

"I'm only kidding," Alex said and held up her hands in surrender, grinning. "You're still cute, most of the time, when you're not acting like a crazy weirdo."

Kara rolled her eyes and Alex put an arm around her shoulder. They fell into silence and Alex tried not to think about how small and young and helpless Kara looked at twelve years old, just days away from her planet dying. Instead, the brunette thought about how close little Kara was, to starting her journey toward Earth and toward Alex, even though the agent hadn't even been born yet.

From a distance, they heard the front door opening. Both girls stood up, as Kara put the chair back and left the room, Alex lingered behind for a moment. She knelt so she would have been eye to eye with Kara, had the young blonde been awake. "You stay tough, okay, little Kara? I'll be waiting for you on the other side, just hang on; you don't have to be afraid, I'll be there for you."

With that, she stole one last look and made her way out of the bedroom.

"Where's dad?" Alex heard Kara asked her mother, where she stood in front of the entrance into the apartment.

"It's past three in the morning and he still isn't back yet," Alura said, "I was checking to see if he was coming down the hall, but he's not."

Kara felt worry bundle in her stomach. "He's only a little over an hour late, maybe he got caught up at the university, looking for the information."

Alura shook her head. "The university is close, you know that. Giving himself two hours was a generous allotment of time."

"Maybe he's still working on it? The collection could be big," Kara tried, _but if it's robotic he shouldn't even need to wait to get his information,_ the logical part of Kara's mind finished.

Silence fell over the trio. Alura twisted her fingers together, ran her thumb over her hand, pushing harder and harder, over and over again. Minutes clicked by, they moved to the living area. Alura was sitting. More minutes passed, Kara took a seat. Time dragged by, Alex joined them. The air was still, clocks ticked and echoed through the room.

Kara fidgeted with her suit, smoothed her hair, tried to keep her hands still.

Alura didn't move, just kept breathing. In and out, in and out.

Alex fought the urge to pace.

There was a knock on the door.

Zor-El stumbled through the entrance.

"Dad!" Kara cheered and stood up, smiling.

She looked him over; her smile fell.


	16. Chapter 16 - Time Travel (Part 3)

**A/N:** I'm sorry I disappeared for a while! Anyway, here's the third part. I took some scientific liberties in this chapter, you'll see when. You might also hate me for the circumstances regarding said scientific liberties, but I hope not. :)

Thank you so much for the reads, follows, favorites, and reviews.

The poll is still open for those who haven't voted and would still like to!

I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)

Prompt: **Kara and Alex somehow time-travel to Krypton and Alex meets Kara's parents. Together the four of them have to figure out a way to get Alex and Kara back to their time before Krypton explodes.**

 **Time Travel - Part 3**

* * *

"What happened?" Kara asked, helping him in and closing the door. When she pulled her hand away from his side, it was slick with blood.

"I'm okay," Zor-El said, leaning forward slightly.

"Alex!" Kara called and her sister appeared from the living room, Alura a step behind her.

"Alex, can help, she's a doctor," Kara said as Alura moved to Zor-El's other side.

"Not really," Alex said, wiping her hands on her pants and taking a step toward Zor-El.

"You're close enough," Kara replied and ushered Alex over while they moved Zor-El to the couch.

"It's not that bad," Zor-El said and struggled to sit up, Alura pushed him back down.

"Can you stay still for one moment?" Alura asked, taking his hand. "Just let Alex look you over."

Alex smiled and gave a small wave. "I'll be quick, I promise." As she felt along Zor-El's side and bandaged up his gash and bruises, he explained what had occurred.

"The people are learning of Krypton's imminent demise. There was a small uprising, I got trapped in the middle of a fracas. I came out relatively unscathed, but I lost the power source we needed for the device to get you back to Earth, they took it and ran."

"But you were able to determine what happened to the time machine?" Alex asked as she finished securing the last bandage and Zor-El sat up.

"Yes," he said, and daylight was beginning to strip away the darkness in the sky, a reminder that time was racing away. "When you traveled times it exhausted the power supply, a rare mineral of Kryptonian origin."

"So we just need another sample of the mineral?" Kara asked. "That's fine, I can go get it somewhere, just tell me where."

"It's more difficult than that," Zor-El explained. "I obtained the last remaining sample within the city. It exists in nature, in a specific alcove on the west side of the mountain just outside the city limits. That's where you'd have to travel to get it."

"I'll go with you," Alex said, turning to Kara.

"You don't speak Kryptonese," Kara said, she really just wanted to keep her sister safe.

"You can cover for me," Alex shrugged. Alura nodded, "You'll be in an uninhabitable area, anyway, and it truly would be better to go as partners, we would go with you two, but we should be here when our time's Kara wakes up, she can't know that you two are here, it could have innumerable consequences on the timeline."

Alura waited for Alex and Kara's agreement before continuing. "Follow me, I'll find you something suitable to wear."

"There's one more thing," Zor-El said, as the three women reappeared moments later. "We have less time than we originally thought, the instability of Krypton's core puts more pressure on the mineral. By midnight tonight, it will be worthless, unable to function and power the device. So, we have nineteen hours left."

"Then we must go now," Alex said. Zor-El handed them a map he'd sketched from a resource at the university, exhibiting the route up the mountain and to the alcove.

"Be careful," Alura said as they exchanged goodbyes. "There are many dangers to look out for, beyond the violence that has out broken in the city, the mountain itself holds numerous perils, as well. The terrain is difficult, you must be cautious and avoid drawing attention to yourselves."

Both girls nodded, words running through their heads as they turned and disappeared into the early dawn settling across the city.

 **19 HOURS REMAINING**

"So, are there cars here, or…?" Alex whispered to Kara as they exited the building and stepped onto the street.

Kara laughed and shook her head. "Sort of yes, in a way, but we'll take the rail, it's much quicker and will take us straight to the mountain edge, from there we'll have to go by foot."

"Okay," Alex said and set herself to looking around the city. Everything was so clean and elegant and efficient, from the long clothing adorning each citizen to the sleek architecture of the buildings—some so tall it appeared as though they were reaching into the universe.

As Alex watched in awe, Kara looked around with a tug yanking on her heart at the familiarity, the ease she felt being surrounded by her childhood planet.

"The turn's just up here," Kara said, nodding forward. "We can catch the rail at the station."

Alex tore her eyes from the streets to give her sister a nod. She leaned close to Kara and whispered loudly in her ear. "Your planet's really cool."

Kara laughed as they entered the station through its metal and glass doors. "I know," she faux whispered back.

"We haven't slept in over twenty four hours."

Kara laughed again and steered Alex toward the ticket booth. "Yeah," she said. "I know that, too."

 **18 HOURS REMAINING**

"We're almost there," Kara said as the high speed rail forged ahead, exiting the city limits. "In just a moment it'll be our stop."

"How far—" Alex broke off as the rail reeled forward. Metal shrieked beneath the train. The girls stumbled as the rail lurched and screeched to a stop. Kara rushed to the window, looking at the small portion of the track that was visible. The metal looked intact and unblocked.

"Could the power supply be affected by the core? Like our machine?" Alex asked, appearing at Kara's side.

Kara turned away from the window and faced her sister. "Probably. It's the most logical explanation. I never knew the core started shutting everything down. My parents never told me."

Alex shrugged and looked at Kara. "It's possible that they never even knew and besides, there were some big things you were dealing with, too."

"You're right." Kara nodded and took a long, deep breath. "Sorry," she rubbed her eyes. "I've just never seen Krypton like this, I guess all my memories were idealized."

Alex pulled Kara into a quick side hug. "It's okay," she said gently. "I think we all tend to idealize parts of our childhood. It happens."

Kara straightened her shirt with a firm nod. "We need to get going. We don't have a lot of time."

"What do we do?" Alex inquired, still looking around the nearly empty cabin, where the other occupants appeared more bored and annoyed than anything else.

"Hopefully they'll use a backup generator and temporarily get the rails going again, or maybe they'll get our fire department equivalent to come out and clear the cabins." Kara shook her head, eyebrows raised as she looked at Alex. "I don't know, I really don't."

 **17 HOURS REMAINING**

 **"** We can't stay here any longer, we can't, Kara. We've wasted too much time already."

"Yeah, I know," Kara snapped back. "I'm working on it." She tugged on the metal surrounding the window and huffed as her finger slipped and hit the outstretched piece, cutting the skin and sending crimson blood dripping onto the floor.

She heaved another sigh and rolled her eyes. "I forgot I could do that." Then she turned to Alex, "Go to the back of the cabin where nobody is, we're going to do something stupid."

"What?"

"Just go, just go," Kara said, nudging Alex out of the seat and toward the last window. "Kick here," she said, pointing to the glass.

"For real?"

Kara nodded, her hair bounced and she smiled. "Right there and do it quickly."

With a sigh and shake of her head, Alex looked around and saw that the few people who had occupied the cabin were either sleeping or milling around between the other cars. She figured there was something good about being out so early. "Here we go," she said and sent a sharp kick through the glass. It broke into thin shards, scattering around the seat and onto the ground beneath the rail. "So much for keeping the attention off us," she muttered, but Kara could tell she was grinning. Alex liked kicking things.

"Climb through the window," Kara said, glancing around as people looked for the source of the noise. "We're not too far off the ground."

"Yeah, yeah," Alex waved her hand and she was already halfway through the windowsill.

"Watch your fingers on the glass," she called as she dropped to the ground. Kara was by her side in a few moments. The blonde scanned the area and pointed in front of them. "We need to go about a half mile in that direction until we hit the trail that leads up the mountain." They took a few steps forward and Kara squinted and tossed her head back with a groan.

"What?" Alex asked.

"Look ahead," Kara replied, nodding toward a group of people gathered outside a tall cream colored building with large, long windows, they were throwing objects and shouting. "They're outside one of our government buildings."

"Can we go around them?" Alex glanced forward and saw the cluster expanding to take up the entire street as their yelling grew louder and echoed through the area.

Kara shook her head. "It'll take too long and there's no telling if the rioting has spread to other locations. We'll have to go through."

"Then let's do it," Alex said and they began navigating their way through the crowd.

Bodies pressed together as more Kryptonians joined the group and their volume increased again. Near the edge of the gathering, the area Kara and Alex had recently vacated, a small man approached the crowd.

Kara bit her lip. "They're going to destroy him," she whispered as he approached the crowd, keeping his head up and his posture firm. "I have to go help him."

"Wait." Alex grabbed Kara's arm. "Who even is this guy?"

"I can't remember his name, but he works for the government, he's a scientist and friend of my father. He's part of the team trying to stabilize the core, but they don't know that," Kara said, gesturing to the mob in front of them. "The information about Krypton's death was leaked, nobody knows what's real or false. They're all scared and it's making them angry and irrational, but they're going to hurt him. I can't let that happen."

"Kara, we don't have time," Alex glanced at the woods just a few hundred meters away. "The longer we wait, the harder it's going to be to get through."

"I can't leave him," Kara said. "I'll be quick. I'll meet you on the other side of the crowd, at the edge of the forest by the silver sign.

"I'm not letting you go alone, we stick together."

Kara shook her head and gave Alex the pack Alura had made for them for when they hiked the mountain. "You don't speak Kryptonese, it could give you away and then I don't know what would happen, I don't know what they'll do. It's not worth it."

Kara watched as the group shifted and engulfed the government scientist, he disappeared from sight and she saw someone raise his or her fist above the area he entered, before moving the hand down in a hitting motion. "I'll meet you at the sign in a few minutes," Kara said. There was a large boom at the other side of the cluster and Alex turned her head to see that a street sign had been pushed down.

"Wait, Kara," Alex twisted back to face Kara again, but the area she had previously occupied was vacant. Alex pressed on her toes and couldn't pick out her sister's blonde head of hair. Kryptonians filled the space beside Alex, blocking her view. She sighed, _why were Kryptonians so damn tall, anyway?,_ she wondered, grumbling as she followed Kara's instructions to the sign, where seconds turned to minutes and worry buzzed inside her as each moment passed.

 **16.5 HOURS REMAINING**

"God, Kara where are you?" Alex muttered and rubbed a hand across her forehead. From her position beside the sign all she could see were heads bobbing up and down in the sea of Kryptonians. She'd watched as the crowd had grown bigger and bigger as word spread.

She laced her fingers together, then untangled them and paced, rubbing her palms together as she waited and discreetly checked the time on her phone. Did they even have phones here? She wished she could call Kara. Alex laughed, she was pretty sure her data plan didn't cover this anyway. Ha. Kara would have thought that was funny.

Speaking of which, _where the hell was Kara?_

Alex was debating hitting her head on the sign or saying 'screw it' and heading straight into the crowd until she had her little sister with her again. She glanced back at the forest, spotting the entrance to the trail they would hike for the majority of the trip. Alex shook her head in worry, brought her fingers up to her lips. They never should have separated. Kara could be hurt, Kara could be in prison or something equally bad, she could be stuck in the crowd for hours, Kara could—

"Hey."

Alex spun around. She threw her arms around Kara and then pulled back. "What the hell took so long?" She leaned back further, eyes sweeping over her sister. "I swear to God that blood better not be yours."

Kara dropped her forehead onto Alex's shoulder and shook her head. "It's not, well, most of it isn't. He got hit in the face, among other places, and his nose was bleeding when I got him away from the mass of them and into the building."

"And your blood come from?" Alex raised her eyebrows and examined Kara for injuries.

"They threw some glass bottles and rocks and whatever, I was just blocking them from my dad's friend." Kara lifted her head and straightened up, she couldn't believe this was happening to her planet. She hadn't been outside much during its last days. "I'm okay, though."

Alex brushed her finger across a gash on Kara's hairline. "Are you sure?"

Kara nodded and gave Alex a smile before tugging her toward the trail entrance. "Let's keep moving."

 **14 HOURS REMAINING**

"I can't believe we're only halfway up this stupid mountain," Alex grumbled and kicked a rock out of her way.

Kara's shoes pressed into the dirt as she walked, a trail of footprints spanned behind them. "I'd forgotten what sweating even felt like," Kara said and wiped her hairline where a sheen of sweat had gathered. "It's kind of gross…"

Alex laughed and poked her sister's side as they navigated around a large stone spanning between two tree trunks. "I bet you wish you'd spent more time training without powers," she teased, enjoying the fact that for once she might actually be more athletic than her sister.

Kara rolled her eyes. "Yeah, maybe…"

"Come on, I'll race you to that tree up there."

"No."

Alex gave a smug smirk and Kara suppressed the urge to give her sister a hard nudge in the other direction.

"These forests aren't too different from Earth's," Alex said, appreciating the shade provided by the trees towering above them.

"Yeah," Kara nodded in agreement, "We have some weird ones, like the Glass Forest, but most of them aren't too crazy. They have trees and stuff like Earth. The animals here are sort of different, but this part of the mountain is so steep nothing really inhibits it."

"It gets steeper?" Alex said, shooting Kara an exaggerated look of disgust and surprise.

"Look up." Kara nodded toward a block of precipitous stone, scattered with trees and colossal rocks.

"This is a sick joke."

"Yeah," Kara nodded in agreement, she pulled her hair off her shoulders, twisting it up into a ponytail. "We should take a quick break now, it'll be our last chance before we reach the cave."

"Deal." Alex plopped down onto a rock, taking off the backpack and flinging it toward Kara. "By the way, I love your mom."

Kara laughed and tried not to think about the inevitable goodbye that was approaching. "Me too. She's pretty great."

"Both your parents are," Alex said as she pulled water out of the pack.

Kara sat across from Alex and fiddled with a small stick, dragging it through the dirt and patterning the ground.

Alex took a sip of water and tossed the bottle to Kara. "A lot's going on right now," Alex began. "And I know, for me at least, it's all happening so fast and it's kind of difficult to process." She paused and glanced over at Kara, hoping she might have spurred some words out of her sister. Instead, the blonde was looking back at her, mouth closed, stick frozen in her hand. Alex could see how tense Kara had become, her muscles taut and tight.

Alex wanted to ask Kara if she was okay; if she'd be okay when they left; Alex wanted to ask Kara what she was thinking then. A part of the eldest Danvers sister wondered if Kara had really considered leaving, or if she'd been shoving the thought away. And, with the direction this conversation was headed, Alex was leaning toward the latter theory.

She wanted to start preparing Kara for the downfall, maybe it would be just a little less painful if Kara braced herself, but then Alex remembered her sister's happiness when she'd been surrounded by her parents; she saw Kara's smile, the blonde's lightness since she'd arrived, the bright, animated chatter and sparkling eyes; and Alex couldn't. She couldn't be the reason Kara's shoulders sagged or her eyes watered or her voice quivered any sooner than it had to. Seeing her parents; seeing Krypton again—it wasn't an experience Kara would likely get again. Alex couldn't bring herself to dull it with facts that, somewhere deep inside herself, Kara already knew.

When Alex glanced back toward Kara, the blonde was still looking at Alex with the same wide and innocent eyes.

"But," Alex decided to make an attempt at a save. "You look okay. You look like you're doing all right."

It felt like a lie on her lips, Kara's reaction did not look okay, and the wavering smile Kara offered—the relief that'd relaxed her so quickly at the prospect of avoiding reality—only made the agent feel worse. While Kara's tactics of avoidance were working now, the truth and pain it would bring could only stay unkindled for so long and once a spark set them in flame, the emotional eruption and concomitant destruction were going to be drastic.

 **11.5 HOURS REMAINING**

A quick recap of the past two and a half hours went something like this: "What your step, watch your step, watch your step- Kara! Watch your damn step," Alex yelled, tugging her sister away from a misstep that could have sent her back down the mountain. Or, something like, "Watch out! Use your eyes, Alex… that falling rock literally could have killed you, pay attention." There were a couple of eye rolls to fill the few silences, some curse words thrown in for fun, and enough tripping that Alex was surprised there wasn't more of their blood on the damned mountain.

Alex was still busy thinking about how much she hated the stupid, death-rigged mountain when Kara nudged her side sharply just as she finished pulling herself over a rock.

"What was that for?" she asked, letting out a huff. "Oh," she said, looking up and straightening her shirt. "We're here."

Kara nodded, pulling her eyes away from the shallow cave, where she could see the purple mineral catching light and reflecting it back toward them. "It's about time."

Alex wanted to kiss the ground and Kara looked like she might cry tears of joy.

 **6 HOURS REMAINING**

Kara's muscles ached, her feet dragged against the carpet. She leaned against Alex as they waited for Alura or Zor-El to let them know that it was okay to enter the apartment.

"That was horrible," Kara groaned and pressed her head into Alex's shoulder. "I always knew you were hardcore, but I have so much more respect for your athletic abilities. I take back all the times I said you were wasting hours training at the DEO. Look at you," Kara said, pulling away slightly, "You're barely even sweating."

Alex laughed and rubbed a dirt-caked palm across her forehead. "I wouldn't go that far," she said as the door cracked open.

"Did you get it?" Alura asked, ushering them inside quickly.

Alex nodded and passed the block of the mineral to Alura. The older woman took a step back, looking at the pair, noting each bump and bruise, the dirt and blood scattered across their clothes. "You girls look awful, are you okay?"

They both gave identical nods and tired smiles.

"Our time's Kara is in her room right now, but she's awake so we'll have to be careful. How about you two go wash up, change back into your clothes so you don't forget them, and then we'll meet in the office to work on the time machine?" Alura asked and both women agreed.

"Wait, but Mom," Kara said, grabbing her mom's hand and hanging on the word for a moment, "You know that last night I talked about when I first got here? The one you and me and Dad spend together? That's tonight. Alex and I should be able to handle most of the time machine by ourselves, now that we have the mineral. Just-just make sure you don't miss tonight, it's important."

Alura gave Kara's hand a soft squeeze. "Of course."

 **4 HOURS REMAINING**

The door to the office peeked open and Alura stepped inside as Kara flipped through a book, squinting at a page with a picture of the ancient time traveling device. She fingered through the text, tongue poking through her lips in concentration, brows drawn.

"Hi," she said and Kara jumped.

"Sorry," the blonde said, smiling and brushing hair out of her face.

"No, it's fine. I didn't mean to startle you," Alura said, taking a seat beside Kara on the couch. "How's it going? Where are Alex and your father?"

"It's going okay. Alex and Dad went into the little work room to try and refit the center of the machine to hold the mineral. I'm reading to double check that we've done everything correctly."

Alura glanced at the page, studying the image.

"Mom, can I ask you something? About Astra?" Kara rubbed her face and squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, bringing her hands to her cheeks. "I can't say much, I just—I need to know, did you love her? Do you—do you think she was a good person?"

Alura's gaze fell, eyes trained on her fidgeting fingers before she spoke and looked up to meet Kara's eyes again. "I think despite some bad decisions, your aunt had a good heart and I think she had good intentions."

"Do you miss her?"

"Sometimes, but I don't regret my decision. I think it's possible that I miss the memory of her most, or the idea of what might have been if things had turned out a little differently." Alura studied Kara, examining her daughter's expression. "Does that help?" Alura asked hopefully.

Kara nodded and tucked herself against her mother. "I think so."

Alura wrapped her arm around Kara's shoulder and pulled her close, pressing her nose into Kara's hair and closing her eyes. "I'm proud of you," Alura said. "There's never been a doubt in my mind that you would do incredible things. You've grown into such an amazing woman."

Kara scrunched her nose and felt blush heating her cheeks. "I love you," she said.

"I love you, too," Alura said, kissing Kara's head as the door from the small workroom flew open and both Alex and Zor-El entered boisterously.

"I love this kid," Zor-El declared, a hand on Alex's shoulder as the brunette beamed. Smiles immediately cracked across Alura and Kara's lips. "Me too," they replied simultaneously and Alex laughed.

"She's a smart one," he said, placing the time traveling object onto the table. "We got it figured out. Alex has the extra mineral incase it's required, but for now the device just needs to be monitored until it's recalibrated, and then we'll have you two back to Earth."

Alex watched as emotions fluttered and crumbled across Kara's face.

 **2 HOURS REMAINING**

"Kara, I need to talk with you," Alex said, the two sisters were alone in the office as the time travel device neared its completion, while Alura and Zor-El spent time with young Kara.

Kara looked up, eyes wide and bottom lip pulled between her teeth. The fire was sparking, reality was becoming impossible to ignore. Regardless of how brave and okay Kara had acted after their arrival, Alex could see the weight Kara was struggling to carry, the sadness that was sinking heavy in her heart at the thought of leaving her parents, her planet, and her home all over again.

Alex caught Kara's eyes before speaking again. "A little while ago I was going through the pack from the DEO with your mother, we found some tablets… pills, really, with the ability to clear specific memories. They're made to diminish—eliminate, even—the effects of time travel on the timeline. Your parents have agreed to take them, in doing so, it will reconfigure their memories of our arrival. Since we're from a different time and planet—one you've adapted to—on a cellular level we vibrate at a different frequency, which tags the memories we exist in. It's complicated and even I'm not entirely sure how they work, but in essence, the pill will remove us from those memories and fill the holes. It's the safest thing to do, eliminates a lot of risks."

"Oh," Kara said, immediately dropping her gaze as silence filled the space between them. Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke up again. "So they won't remember this, won't remember seeing me or meeting you?"

"No," Alex said with a shake of her head. "I wanted to clear it with you first."

Kara shrugged, her shoulders sagging, her hands hanging limply by her side, fidgeting with her suit. "What choice do we really have?" she asked, defeat dripping from her posture. Alex could sense her sister's resignation, her acceptance of reality; could see the devastation in Kara's faraway gaze. Kara was gutted, her hands were shaking, her heart aching so loudly in her chest she thought she might never be okay again. How could she have so much, just to have it taken away again?

"I don't know," Alex said, reaching out to take Kara's hand just as Alura and Zor-El entered the room.

"It's time," Alura said and Zor-El continued, "I've been monitoring the device and it's ready for you to go home now, we must hurry before the mineral exhausts itself again."

Kara choked on a single word. Home. She wasn't sure where that was anymore. It felt as though her heart were being torn into two. She felt her mother take her hand, lead her to the room where the device was situated.

Kara watched breathless as they gathered around the small, little stone that held so much power. She watched, as Alex and her parents exchanged goodbyes and thank yous and words that no one should have to say, sharing sadness that no one should have to feel.

Kara felt numb as she hugged her father, held him tight in her arms and tried for one last time to memorize his scent, his security, his voice as he told her he loved her and she repeated the words back, meaning them with all her heart and then some.

"It's time to say goodbye, love," Alura whispered to Kara.

The blonde nodded, summoning all her strength to hold back tears. She didn't want this. Didn't want to say goodbye. She didn't want her mother's last impression of the older version of her to be of a crying, heartbroken mess, so she tugged a small, hollow smile across her lips.

"Bye, Mom. I love you," Kara said through the sob lumped in her throat. The time traveling device vibrated on the table. Their time was fleeting, waning, a speck in infinity.

"I love you, sweet girl." Alura brushed a long lock of blonde hair from Kara's face and tucked it behind her ear. "My Kara, you are so brave and so strong; don't ever stop being you, okay? Don't ever stop shining. You were made for extraordinary things."

Kara nodded. "Okay," she said, barely trusting her voice.

"Promise me you'll take care, that you won't be too hard on yourself?"

"I promise," Kara said, her words shaking and strained. "I love you."

"I love you, too. So incredibly much." Alura pulled Kara into a tight hug, rubbing her back for a slow moment until they parted. Kara's heart immediately lurched at the absence.

Alura placed something small and metal into Kara's hand before turning.

Kara clutched the object and watched, with a watery gaze, as her parents stepped away and raised the pills to their mouths. Within seconds their eyes grew cloudy, a temporary indicator that the tablets were working. Kara's dad stepped through the doorway, but her mother lingered. Kara took a moment, as she and Alex clasped hands and reached toward the device that would propel them through space. She studied her mother, taking her last chance and hanging, desperately, to the final sliver of a second they shared together.

Kara looked at her mother, she saw the arms that held her through nightmares and rocked her back to sleep when she was a baby. The hands that'd brushed away tears when she cried because she'd gotten her first less-than-perfect grade on an exam in her second year of school. She saw the lips that whispered reassurances and I love yous and sweet words every time they were needed—words that made Kara feel better on bad days before her mother even knew what was wrong. Kara saw the hair she'd played with as a kid, the smile that'd greeted her every morning as daylight streamed through the bedroom window. She saw the legs and feet that'd chased after her as a toddler, when she'd tottered around the house, learning to walk. She saw the fingers that'd patched her up when she'd fallen; the fingers that'd patted her gently and helped her up and set her back on her feet. She saw the woman that'd loved her and raised her and stood by her side every day. She saw the woman she had to say goodbye to, for the second time, no matter how much every cell in her body shouted in resistance.

Kara's heart wanted to break, she wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, she wanted to stay frozen in time forever with her parents. She didn't want to leave.

Her fingers brushed the time traveling device, a flash of light set the room in blinding white.

They were gone.


	17. Chapter 17 - Time Travel (Part 4)

**A/N:** At last, here is the final installment in this four part time travel saga. Thank you so much for sticking with me and being so enthusiastic. I really do appreciate it. Special thanks to the guest who submitted this prompt. I had an incredible time writing it, and hope you all enjoyed it just as much! The poll is still up for voting and the next prompt will be started soon. :)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Part 4!

Prompt: **Kara and Alex somehow time-travel to Krypton and Alex meets Kara's parents. Together the four of them have to figure out a way to get Alex and Kara back to their time before Krypton explodes.**

 **Time Travel - Part 4**

* * *

"This isn't Earth," Alex said immediately, voice sharp.

Kara's eyes snapped open, she was struggling to breathe through the sob stuck in her throat. She swallowed hard and forced herself to look around. "That's because this is still Krypton." In the dark night sky, a white pod shot through the stars. "And it's going to explode within minutes, because that's Kal-El's pod."

Alex blinked, looking down at the time traveling device in her hands. Her heart was thundering in her chest.

"Alex, put more of the mineral in!" Kara yelled, shifting her gaze between her sister and the distant launch pad. At this very moment she was saying goodbye to her parents, while Krypton's core was mere minutes from exploding.

"I thought it wasn't supposed to work after midnight," Alex shouted. With unsteady hands she fought to tug the excess mineral from her pocket.

"It traveled time, it didn't undergo the pressure of the unstable core." Alex could hear the tears brimming in her sister's voice. "It has to work, it has to." She pulled shaking fingers through her blonde hair.

Another white object pierced through the sky. Young Kara's pod.

"That's me, you've got to do it. Just put it in!" Kara screamed, her voice hoarse, her throat raw. "Put all of it in!" she cried and Alex jammed the rest of glowing purple substance into the small device.

They watched as it vibrated at the same time the ground beneath them grew hot and turned crimson with heat.

"Grab my hand!" Alex cried, curling her fingers around Kara's arm and grabbing the device.

For a moment, amidst a suffocating darkness, Kara wasn't sure if they had died or if they were time traveling, but then her feet met solid ground and she could feel the air buzzing and the presence of her powers returning—for the first time they made her feel jittery and sick.

"What happened? Why didn't it work the first time?" she cried, seeking out Alex in the darkness.

"I don't know," Alex panted and drew the back of her hand across her forehead, feeling sweat. "But that was close."

Kara nodded and fell silent, she stared down at the object in her hand. Her mother's favorite necklace. Simple and silver and still warm from her mother's skin. Kara latched it around her neck and looked up at Alex.

The brunette pulled Kara into her arms and held her as tears spilled from Kara's cheeks and her body shivered. It just felt like _everything_ was gone. Alex rubbed her sister's back and with each cry, Alex tugged her closer, until Kara's tears stilled.

"I love you," Alex whispered, to which Kara responded with a small, little quivering exhale of breath as her shoulders sunk and her eyes, still wet, stared into the distance.

Alex squeezed Kara's shoulder gently and they left the cave without any more words, a few minutes after the exact time they'd zapped out of it, in what felt like a lifetime ago.

Alex guided Kara out of the dark area and into the SUV they'd driven over. They rode in silence as Alex eyed her sister carefully and the blonde leaned her head against the window, gazing through the glass.

As they completed the drive, Alex called J'onn, needing to update him on the situation as quickly as possible and hoping to get out and get Kara home without having to waste time answering questions at the DEO.

"We're here," Alex said softly as they pulled up to the base. For a moment, she thought her sister was sleeping, but Kara rose from her seat and rubbed her eyes as she wordlessly exited the car. She closed the door with half the strength she usually did. Exhaustion was heavy in her bones, each moment slow and difficult as she walked.

They were checked over by a med team and deemed clear within minutes. Kara took a seat on a rounded metal bench, Alex remained standing, pacing as she waited for J'onn to appear.

He arrived a moment later, stepping toward Alex. "Danvers, we need to talk. I need a debriefing."

She sighed and ran a hand over her face, sending a worried glance at Kara, whose head was bowed, gaze trained on the floor as she sat, appearing oblivious to the conversation in front of her. "Can't it wait?"

J'onn shook his head. "I'm afraid not." He saw the concern in her eyes as she stole another look at Kara and guided him away from the blonde. It wouldn't do much if Kara was using her superhearing, but in Supergirl's current state, Alex didn't see Kara caring enough to even try.

"Please, can I stay with Kara? She needs to go home, she needs to rest. I don't want her to be alone. Look at how sad she looks."

"I'm sorry but the DEO needs you to recount what happened, this will be the last time, but we need it immediately. Kara can go home, we'll have you joining her as soon as you're finished."

Alex looked over her shoulder, saw Kara running her fingers along the hem of the skirt to her Super Suit. "Kara," Alex called, gesturing with her head to come over. The blonde stood up, made her way shakily to her sister and J'onn.

"You wanna go home?" Alex asked, looking at Kara with concern shining in her eyes.

Kara shrugged, finger rising to fiddle with her mother's necklace. "Okay," she said softly before giving a small nod.

"I have to stay here for a little while, but if you want I'll figure out a way to get around it," Alex said, giving a half shrug to J'onn as he shook his head.

"No, it's okay. I'm fine, really." Kara hoped they couldn't tell how much she was trying to keep her voice steady. She wanted to go home, collapse onto her bed, nestle under her sheets and lie there for the next few years, maybe forever.

"Are you sure?"

Kara nodded. "Don't worry about me. I think I'll just sleep for a bit."

"All right," Alex agreed even though her heart was clenching. She gave her sister a smile and pulled her into tight hug. "I love you," Alex whispered into the blonde's ear.

"I love you, too," Kara said, stiff and tired in her sister's arms.

They parted ways and Kara gave Alex a soft wave and a 'see you later.' She couldn't bring herself to say another goodbye.

/

Kara entered her apartment with a heavy sigh and looked around. She dropped herself onto her couch and curled in the corner, knees tucked against her chest, arms wrapped loosely around her legs. She rested her cheek again the fabric, gazing out her apartment window without really looking at anything. Her fingers were glued to her mother's necklace. She rubbed it between her fingers. Back and forth. Back and forth. There were no thoughts of CatCo or work or Supergirl duties, just an impossible sadness as she tried to breathe with the gaping hole of anguish that burned in her chest. Her heart was still thundering, exhaustion still weighing heavily on her body.

Despite her efforts to stay awake, her eyelids closed, her head dipped forward and she slipped into sleep.

/

Somewhere just past four in the morning, Alex let herself into Kara's apartment. "Hey," she said softly, taking a few steps toward Kara, where she was still positioned on the couch. "I thought you might be sleeping now. What happened?"

Kara shrugged—she seemed to be doing a lot of that lately—before responding, "I was, but I woke up just after an hour and I couldn't fall back asleep."

Alex nodded sympathetically. "Maybe if you change into your pajamas and try your bed you'll have better luck?"

"Maybe," Kara said, but made no move to get up until Alex nudged her. "Come on, at least get changed, you'll feel better."

With a slow nod Kara stood up and disappeared into her bedroom. She returned a moment later clad in pajamas now, but with tears burning in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey, what's a matter?" Alex rushed to her sister and took Kara by the shoulders, noticing the blonde was clasping something in her hand.

Kara gave a sob as a response and then she was folding in on herself.

It was entirely different from Kara's silent weeping when they'd first arrived back on Earth; this time her sobs were loud and hard, so forceful that Alex was afraid Kara might make herself sick.

Alex didn't say any words, just pulled Kara into the firmest hug she could muster, hoping it might convey how loved the younger girl was, hoping it might help Kara remember that she wasn't alone.

"I want to take it," Kara said through tears, shoulders shaking violently.

"Take what?" Alex asked, pulling away so she could look at Kara.

The blonde opened her hand and extended her palm, revealing a small white pill. The same pill her parents had taken just hours before but worlds away.

"I don't want to remember," Kara cried out.

Alex observed Kara, saw her hair a mess, her eyes red rimmed and watery, her features crumbling as her body heaved with the power of each sob. She thought she might cry herself to death. "No," Alex said, swallowing hard and looking Kara in the eyes. "I understand that you're upset and you're hurting, but you don't mean that."

"What if I do?" Kara asked and gathered a handful of hair in her fist, doubling over with the pain radiating through her body, sniffling. "What if it's finally too much?"

Alex shook her head. "Sometimes you struggle and stumble and crash and fall, but the Kara that I know doesn't give up, she doesn't take the easy way out just to temporarily get away from feeling. It hurts now, I know, but someday you'll be glad you got to see them again, you'll be thankful for those extra moments."

"That's not me. I'm broken, Lex. I'm not strong enough to relive this all over again."

"No, Kara, no. You're wrong." Alex knelt down so she was eyelevel with her sister.

"I can't do it," Kara said, her voice a quivering breath. "I don't-don't care if-if it's wrong. I don't want to remember." Kara hit the floor with her fist and the wood splintered slightly. With hands and knees pressing into the ground another sob wracked her frame. "I wish—I wish I'd ne-never even gone back th-there."

Alex grabbed the blonde's shoulders, pulled her sister close. "That's not true."

Kara whimpered and cried and ducked her head. She heaved a heartbreaking breath and was silent for a long time. "I know," she said finally in a watery exhale. "I know." Without looking up, she extended her hand to Alex, allowing her big sister to take the pill from her shaking, pale hand and pocket it to be returned to the DEO.

"I just miss them so much," Kara said, on the verge of hyperventilating. "It's like I can't think, I can't breathe, I can't _feel anything_ but this pain in my chest."

"Let's stand up then, come on," Alex said and helped Kara to her feet, pulling her off the wooden floor.

"I'm sorry," Kara breathed and crumbled against Alex. "I didn't mean it, I didn't mean any of it—I just—I'm sorry—I'm so sorry."

Alex held her sister so tightly she could feel Kara's chest rising and falling with each sob and trembling inhale. She could feel Kara's warm breathe and hot tears; could feel Kara drop her head against Alex's collarbone and press her face into the fabric of her sister's shirt. "I know," Alex said and ran a hand over Kara's hair. "You don't have to be sorry."

"It feels—it feels like I'm n-never going to be hap-happy again."

Alex gave Kara another squeeze, cradled her sister's head so her blonde locks bunched up and the tears falling from Kara's cheeks dripped onto Alex's shoulder. Alex leaned back to look at Kara and tap her chin up so their eyes met. The brunette pushed Kara's hair off her wet cheeks, tucked it gently behind her ear and thumbed away her tears. "But you know better than anyone, that that feeling will go away."

Kara squeezed her eyes closed, producing more tears, and nodded. "I know." She took a long, shuddery deep breath. "I know," she repeated, this time her voice wavered less.

A sigh worked its way through her lungs and she dragged her fingers across her cheeks, wiping away the new tears that had fallen.

"You'll be okay," Alex said and pulled Kara close again. "I know it doesn't feel like it now, but you'll be okay. It'll just take time."

Kara nodded, sniffling as Alex smoothed her hair and held her securely. Moonlight flooded the apartment and glinted off the furniture. The foot of Kara's pajamas leg gathered beneath her heel. She felt small and little again, but seeing her parents also made her feel bigger, more capable, in a different kind of way. "I'm glad I got to see them," Kara whispered.

"I know."

"And I'm glad you got to meet them."

"Me too," Alex said. "It was truly a pleasure to meet the people that got together, had a good time, and made my baby sister."

"Alex!" Kara said, a soft giggle lacing her voice as she gently swatted Alex's arm and wiggled away, blush rising on her cheeks. "You're gross."

Alex smiled, encouraged by her sister's laugh. "Jeez, Kar, get your mind out of the gutter. I totally didn't mean it that way. Your parents are lovely people… _you,"_ Alex wrinkled her nose at Kara, "maybe not so much."

Alex ducked as Kara threw a pillow in her direction. "You're annoying," the youngest Danvers called out. "And also, I'm hungry."

"Yeah, I figured that was coming," Alex said, fondly rolling her eyes and tossing the pillow back to Kara. "I'll make you something."

"I love you," Kara singsonged, sitting crisscross on the couch and smiling up at Alex as she made her way into the kitchen.

"I'm going to make you waffles, which on earth is, like, the same thing as saying I love you," Alex said, stopping by the couch to ruffle Kara's hair. "Which I do."

Kara pulled her knee up and rested her elbow on it, dropping her chin onto her hand as she looked up at Alex. "Thank you," she said, "You know, for more than just the waffles."

"I've got your back, always," Alex said with a smile. "You're my family."

"Yeah," Kara began and gently, carefully squeezed Alex's hand. "You're mine, too." She smiled at her sister. "And I'm really thankful for it."


	18. Chapter 18 - Car Accident

**A/N:** I'm tremendously sorry for taking so long to update. Life got crazy busy. Hopefully, this super long chapter makes up for the wait. As always, thank you for all your favorites, follows, reviews, and reads! Also, the poll has been updated. :)

Major thanks to lightning1997 for the prompt, which you can find at the bottom of this chapter!

* * *

Rain pattered against the CatCo windows. Thunder pounded in the dark sky, so loudly that Kara could practically feel the vibrations.

"How are you feeling?" Alex asked, spinning slowly in her chair at the DEO and speaking into the phone.

On the other end, Kara tilted her head back so it touched the wall and she leaned against it, exhaling slowly, heavily. "I'm just tired." She rotated her shoulder, stretched her legs. "Maybe a little sore. Where were you last night? Netflix marathons just aren't the same without you. "

"I'm sorry, I got caught up at the DEO. We've been overrun lately."

Kara sighed. "That's what you said last time. _And_ the time before that, and probably the time before that, too."

"I know, but I only said it because it's true."

Kara rolled her eyes and tried to suppress the hurt she felt pulling in her chest. It'd been practically _forever_ since she'd spent time just her and Alex.

"You need to take it easy today," Alex said, her voice authoritative even through the phone.

"Alex," Kara huffed and dragged a hand over her ponytail as she straightened and paced the CatCo hall. "I'm fine."

"I just don't want you to overdo it. Yesterday was a tough fight. You need time to recover."

"Oh Rao, I _know."_

"I know you know, but you don't have the best reputation for _acting_ like you know you need to take care of yourself."

Kara saw Cat looking from her desk into the workroom. Employees buzzed around, typing and printing, doing their best to avoid the scrutiny of their boss.

"And," Alex continued, "I need you at the DEO tomorrow afternoon. You're scheduled for a medical checkup. Until then, you should-"

"Yeah, look, Alex," Kara interrupted as she threw another glance toward Cat's office, where her boss was engaged in a new story, paying no attention to the menial tasks of her employees. "I have to go. Ms. Grant is calling me."

"Love you," Alex said just as Kara hung up and the line buzzed.

The blonde vacated the hallway and dropped into the chair at her desk. She rubbed her forehead, feeling the beginnings of guilt rise inside her. At the same time, miles away, Alex mirrored the action before letting out a sigh. Maybe she was being overbearing, but every time she'd tried to talk herself out of calling Kara, Alex's mind conjured images from the previous night—Kara fighting, Kara losing strength, Kara getting thrown around before finally overpowering the hostile alien. Then, there were the memories of Kara under the DEO solar lamps, uncharacteristically tired, looking _so_ out of it that she'd had to physically prove to the DEO agents that her powers still worked.

And, in addition to all her worry, Alex felt the guilt of being distant start to surface inside her, not for the first time in the past few weeks.

She shook her head and spun in her chair, turning back to the data she was studying. Just as she began recording her observations, there was a knock on the door and J'onn entered the lab.

"Agent Danvers, go home," he said, sending her a soft look. "It's late, your shift ended over an hour ago, and it's the first time in weeks that we haven't been overwhelmed with work."

Alex pushed away from her desk. She wasn't in the mood to argue with anyone again. "I know," she said, standing and quickly cleaning the area before throwing her bag over her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow."

J'onn waved her goodbye as she vacated the base. Alex slipped into her car and started the engine, pulling out onto the dirt road, made compact and heavy by the rain that had pounded the street earlier. A few minutes passed before she pulled onto the highway and tugged her phone from her purse.

Three rings and thirty seconds later saw Kara's voice coming through the line again. "Alex?"

"Yeah, hey, it's me." Alex glanced around her, where the sun had slipped beneath the horizon and the moon had risen to fill its place. "Listen, Kara, I'm sorry for blowing you off and nagging earlier. I was just worried about you—you know how I get sometimes, and with your powers acting so intermittently I wanted to make sure you were okay… even if it _was_ the fifth time I checked today."

Kara laughed, swiveling in her chair inside the nearly empty CatCo floor and picking through her desk drawer to see an old picture of her and Alex. It was taken in high school during their first few months together, after they'd finally started to feel like sisters. It'd always been one of Kara's favorites. "It's all right. Sometimes it's nice having you check on me all the time, even when it _is_ a bit excessive."

This time Alex chuckled before Kara took a breath and continued, "Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tonight. No work or emergencies or weird, secretive government calls, just you, me, and pizza. And a movie or something. My place?"

Alex sighed in relief and stopped at a red light. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," she answered.

"Awesome!" Kara said, a grin breaking across her face. Alex could practically hear it through the phone. "How does eight sound?"

Alex glanced at her car's clock then back toward the highway, estimating her time based on the exit signs. "I'll be there," she declared, unable to keep away her smile. She'd missed their sister time, too.

Kara filled with warm and had already begun packing up her stuff at CatCo, straightening her desk and saving documents for the next day. "Great," Kara said, powering off her computer as a crack of thunder shook the sky. "Drive safely, Alex, it's pretty nasty out there."

"I will," Alex promised and turned on her windshield wipers. "I'll see you in a bit. Love you."

"Love you, too," Kara said and Alex clicked off the call before tossing her phone into the passenger seat.

/

With pizza ordered, pajamas on, apartment _slightly_ neatened, and blankets gathered in the living room Kara flopped onto the couch fifteen minutes to eight and began flicking through channels. She shifted uncomfortably, her body felt sore; her muscles achy and tight. Kara sighed and thought back to earlier that day, when she'd tried to heat her own coffee with laser vision only to find that the beams of warmth were spotty and weak—half functional at best. She'd pushed it aside as brief error, after the initial glitch passed and she managed to heat the liquid filled mug on her third try. She'd been a little dizzy earlier, too, but it'd also been a full _six hours_ since she'd eaten, so _there was_ a logical explanation. But maybe she'd mention it to Alex later, just in case. Kara _had_ pushed hard the night before—she was likely on the verge of another power blow out.

Yeah, she'd definitely mention it to Alex in—Kara glanced at the clock—ten minutes when her sister was supposed to arrive. Until then, Kara snuggled against the couch, nestling her nose into the fabric, maybe a ten minute nap would do her good. It sounded nice, she decided, as she tugged a blanket up to her cheeks and her eyes slipped close, smiling softly at the thought of spending an easy night cuddled with her sister. Just ten minutes, she thought. Ten minutes and Alex would be there and everything would be okay again.

/

Alex heaved a sigh as orange cones reflected moonlight and cut off her typical route into the city. With an eye roll, she pulled a U-turn and curved onto a small dirt road that would take her the long way around before dropping her off on the other side of National City. Totally _not_ where she wanted to be. But, whatever, it was her best option now.

The road was thin and slick, as Alex took a right turn she heard her wheels spin out beneath her and eased off the gas. Arriving at Kara's a little late was better than not arriving at all. Alex couldn't even imagine how heartbroken and hurt Kara would be if she missed another sister date. Alex resettled her hands on the steering wheel and flicked up the intensity on her windshield wipers as rain poured down, obscuring her view. A flash of lightning sprang across the sky, blinding Alex.

She squinted in the light. A second later it flashed away, a dark figure appeared, just feet in front of her car. Alex slammed on the brakes, screeching to a halt with so much force she flew forward and was launched back into her chair by her seatbelt as the back tires swerved and the car spun a quarter of a circle around.

Her breathe was fast and shallow, her heart thumping so quickly she felt like it'd break out of her chest. Her shoulders slowly relaxed, easing back down as the figure in front of the car glanced into her headlights, revealing its big innocent deer eyes and small, thin deer body before racing off into the stretch of forest lining the road.

Alex closed her eyes and let her head fall against the steering wheel as she sucked in a slow breath, allowing her heartrate to ease and her hands to steady before taking to the road again. She eased her car back into drive and straightened out, slowly moving down the next bend on the sleepy, empty street.

It was past nine now, and she wondered how the time had passed. Her usual semi-quick route home had been made long by traffic diversions and the rain splotching her windshield and clouding her vision. She considered sending Kara a text, but at this point she was ten—maybe fifteen—minutes out, and, anything that split her vision from the road made her want to cringe. Her breath was finally calm again when she came around the curve and another torrent of rain stormed above her.

Bright headlights slit through the downfall. First distant dots, like two reflective white eyes of a nocturnal animal, but then the dots began to swerve. Alex figured it was just the rain distorting the image until the headlights grew closer. And closer.

And closer,

And closer and closer.

Until they didn't, and they were so close she couldn't see anything but light filling her vision. The sound of rain sloshing and beating pounded in her ear. She smelt gasoline and took a sharp breath that burned in her chest. Then there was a loud bang and a groan and the shrieking of metal reverberating through the night air, and pressure that gave way to pain. Hot, white flashing, pulsating, throbbing pain that scorched every cell of her body and stole her vision; stole her breath. There was blinding light and then there was nothing.

/

Thunder cracked in the sky and Kara peeked into awareness. She pulled her eyes open, blinking heavily, slowly, as she squinted around her apartment—lights still on, TV still droning in the background, rain still pouring outside and pounding on the windows. She rubbed a hand across her face and squeezed her eyes closed again as she pushed herself up. She opened her eyes and immediately felt the urge to close them a second time and fall back into sleep. But something was wrong, something was tugging in her brain, there was a reason she needed to stay awake.

 _Alex._

Her gaze fell on the clock. 9:04.

With a sinking feeling, Kara straightened. She couldn't believe Alex blew her off again. Not this time.

No, she wouldn't.

Kara bit her lip and grabbed for her phone; no texts from Alex, no missed calls.

Kara felt her chest tighten.

Alex wouldn't just not show up without warning. Even if Kara was sleeping Alex would let herself and plop right next to Kara on the couch. Alex would rub Kara's shoulder or her leg or stoke her sister's blonde hair. Alex wouldn't leave without tucking the blanket tightly around Kara, pressing a soft kiss to her hair, and leaving a note or _something._ But there was nothing.

Kara felt hot and sticky and sick.

She needed to look for Alex, needed to listen for her. The blonde glanced at the window, hesitating slightly before leaving her apartment and heading to the stairwell, instead. She flung up the door and took the stairs two at a time before reaching the rooftop. Rain crashed onto Kara as she climbed out of the stairwell and onto the roof. Wind whipped her hair, sent it into a tangled mess snapping behind her and against her back. Kara pulled off her glasses and scanned the city, her eyes and ears focused on finding Alex.

She caught her hint, finally, as she scanned the city perimeter. A faint heartbeat, the image of her sister's body in a crumbled car, upside down and smashed on the side of the road. Kara felt like ice was running through her veins. It felt like she couldn't breathe.

Kara pushed off, jumping into the air. Screw secret identities, she needed to get to Alex. But, not three seconds after she was in the air, Kara's feet hit the ground again. Her stomach tightened. She backed up, running a few meters across the roof before making a second attempt.

She crashed onto the concrete and saw blood prick from her palms. "Oh god, no," she whispered as tears gathered in her cheeks and mixed with the rain dripping from her hair, saturating her clothes.

Kara shoved herself upward and tore back down the staircase. She was in her car a minute later, a shivering, shaking mess. She fumbled with the key, trying to fit it into the ignition. "Damn it! Come on," she cried, screaming out into the dark parking garage. She wasn't used to cars or the weakness that racked her body. Finally, the car started and Kara whipped through the garage and out onto the street.

The weather and late hour had turned the roads nearly empty as Kara speed down the block. She passed a sole pedestrian on the outskirts of the city, he stumbled down the sidewalk, drunk and soaked, with dirt caking his clothes and shoes. Kara's hands quivered against the wheel, vision blurry with tears. She pressed against the gas pedal, willing the vehicle to go faster, faster, _faster_ as she pulled down the final stretch of road a minute later, Alex's car taking form under Kara's headlights.

Flames flickered from another vehicle, appearing abandoned and unoccupied. Kara stopped her car and rushed out, confirming that the burning car was empty.

"Alex!" Kara yelled, moving toward the black car and pulling her cell phone from the pocket of her sweatpants. The fire grew closer, moving to close the short distance to Alex's car, where it was mutilated and smashed on the side of the road.

It took Kara two tries to dial 911, fingers shaking and slipping. "My—my sister's been in a car accident," she told the operator, panting as she broke into a sprint toward the shell of Alex's vehicle. She should have done this sooner. Her feet splashed against the pavement. Thunder continued to crackle above her. She relayed their address, their names. "No, I'm fine, I'm fine. But—my sister, Alex, she-she isn't responding. I don't know where she is," Kara sucked in a quick breath, " _I don't know where she is,"_ Kara repeated, her voice high and cracking into tears as she spoke. "I can't help her and there's fire and it's getting closer and—" Kara was cut off, dropping her phone to the ground. The fire caught gasoline and sparked onto Alex's car, sending it up in flames.

Kara stumbled into the ditch, skidding down the decline as mud soaked the cuff of her pajamas and mushed into her shoes. It didn't matter that she wasn't currently made of steel, it didn't matter that her heart was racing and her hands were shaking and sweat was gathering around her hair, it didn't matter that she was currently battered and bruised and human and vulnerable. Kara was getting Alex out. She felt flames lick her skin as she tugged open the car door and the metal groaned. The fire scorched and burned, Kara wanted to scream. Instead, all she could do was call Alex's name over and over and over again, like it was the only thing her mind could think. Her hand met something soft and solid at the same time and Kara just _knew_ it was her sister. She scrabbled around as the fire closed closer toward them.

Kara got ahold of Alex, yanked and pulled until her sister was in her arms. It was dangerous, but it was Alex's only shot of living. Kara gathered Alex and stumbled out of the car, depositing her sister in soaked grass by the road.

She watched as the car was swallowed in flames, the gold heat flickering in the wind and rain howling through the sky. "Alex," Kara breathed, looking at her sister's broken, bloody body in the light of the fire. "Come on, Alex, you have to be okay, you have to wake up."

A sob caught in her throat, tears flooded from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. Her breathing came faster and faster, her chest tighter and tighter. She needed to fly, she needed to get Alex out, but all she could do was wait.

Kara looked around. It was one of the darkest nights of her life—sky black, thunder booming, sister dying in her arms.

She searched for a pulse. She wasn't used to having to _try_ to feel something; she wasn't used to anything. Kara wanted to— _needed to—_ hear her sister's heartbeat but she couldn't. A blur of red and blue lights appeared in the distance, their sirens ringing through the night.

Kara hiccupped and everything felt like it was closing in. She gently pushed Alex's hair from her face. It was bruised and bleeding. Kara retracted her blood soaked hand and felt her stomach turn. She was going to be sick, she couldn't breathe, she was going to die. Alex was going to die.

 _Breathe_ , Kara screamed inside her head, _just breathe._ But she couldn't. The night was so dark. Alex was dying. There was so much—too much—she couldn't do.

Kara was losing control, her whole body shivering and soaked. Her shoulders heaved with each sob; each breath as she hyperventilated. She was having a panic attack and this time she didn't have Alex to help her.

That's how the paramedics and fire department found them sixty seconds later. Everything had been dark and silent, until, suddenly, it was a burst of activity. Kara couldn't focus. She held Alex's hand and pulled tighter into herself as the site exploded with action.

"Help," she yelled, Alex's need for medical assistance breaking through the panic enough that Kara found her voice. "My sister needs help."

A group of medics gathered around them and blocked Alex from Kara's view. Kara's breath grew faster again, her vision spotty. She made a movement to stand, but her legs quivered and her body swayed. Arms grabbed Kara and held her up, she looked to see a woman, probably of forty years old keeping her standing.

The woman lowered Kara back into a sitting position a put a blanket around her shoulders.

"I need you to focus on me," the medic said. Her words were calm and solid, her voice something Kara could use to ground herself. A minute passed as the woman helped bring Kara down, helped her count and talk and get her breathing to resemble something closer to normal.

"Are you okay?" the medic finally asked.

Kara nodded, looking past the woman as she tried to keep an eye on Alex, watching as they moved her onto a stretcher and wheeled her into an ambulance.

"What's your name?"

"Kara. Kara Danvers."

"Okay, Kara. My name's Stephanie. I'm going to make sure you're doing all right. That's your sister?" she asked, tilting her head toward the ambulance.

Kara nodded slowly. "Her name is Alex."

The EMT pulled out a flashlight and began checking Kara's eyes.

The blonde shook her head and took an unsteady step back. "No, no, I'm fine, really," she said and her voice quivered, her breathing still wobbly and too fast. "I wasn't in the car crash."

"Your arms are burned," the medic stated, she shifted her gaze from Kara's wrist to her eyes. "I'm going to treat it, okay? It might sting a bit, but it could've been much worse, it's only superficial."

"Is Alex going to be okay?" Kara asked, sniffling. She really just wanted to be with her sister.

"We're going to transport her to the nearest hospital where our doctors will do everything they can to make sure she recovers."

Kara swallowed hard and gave another nod. She hadn't realized how much her arms hurt until this moment and throat burned a bit and even beneath the blanket she was shivering beyond control, her whole body convulsing.

"It looks like my colleagues are about to take Alex to the hospital, I take it you want to ride with her?"

Kara found that nodding was all she could do, with tears in her eyes and a lump in her throat. The medic, Stephanie, put a gentle hand on Kara's shoulder and guided her into the ambulance. It was so busy Kara could only see Alex's hand as the rest of the EMTs bustled around, attaching IVs and running tests.

"Kara," Stephanie said softly, taking a seat beside the blonde. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"I don't know," Kara answered and looked back toward the stretcher, eyes searching for Alex. "Alex was supposed to be at my apartment but she was really late and there was nothing from her, no text or call. I…" The blonde took a deep breath. "I got worried because she doesn't do that, she always calls or _something_ and the storm was so bad. So, I—umm—I know it's weird but I just had this horrible feeling and I checked the location on her phone and it wasn't moving and then I saw that the car was off the road so I drove over here to see this…" Kara ran a hand over her rain saturated hair and gestured out the window to the scene beyond the ambulance just as the vehicle began to pull away.

Stephanie nodded. "Your sister was unconscious when you got there?"

"Yeah," Kara said, her voice breathy. She couldn't pull her eyes off the blood blooming across the sheets of stretcher.

/

A coma. Alex was in a coma.

It's the word that was whispered when Kara had first entered the hospital and stood dripping outside the door in the ambulance bay as Alex was wheeled away. The water gathered and pooled by the blonde's feet as she stayed there, frozen. Tears and rain had mixed on her face, her clothes a mess of blood and mud. She wasn't sure how much time passed until a nurse came out in search of her, found her crumbled form, put a blanket on her shoulders and led her inside. The woman had given Kara a change of clothes: a warm hospital sweater and matching pair of sweatpants. Then, there was nothing to do but wait.

It's what the doctors officially told Kara within a few hours of the sisters' arrival. ( _"I'm very sorry to tell you but your sister is in a coma. We don't know if or when she'll wake up. We'll have a better idea in the next twenty four hours.")_

She heard it again, after those twenty four hours passed. ( _"Alex appears to be improving, when she arrived at the hospital she was in a deep coma, but we're seeing progress. She's shown some pupillary movement and responses to pain. You should talk to her," the nurse had said with a warm smile, "She might be able to hear you." So, Kara did. She talked and she talked for hours, until her throat was raw and she could hardly keep her eyes open. She told Alex she loved her, and when they were alone, she whispered stories of Krypton and memories of their teenage years spent together on Earth._ )

Then, Kara had to say it out loud, let the word slip from her mouth, leaving a metallic taste in their wake when she'd told Eliza and Hank over the phone. _A coma._ It'd taken two days to tell them, because her cell phone had died and she hadn't thought clearly until a doctor had gently asked if there was anyone else they should contact for Alex while she dialed the hospital phone.

Hank had made a brief appearance, baring reassuring words and a change of clothes and real food, but the DEO had business and, if Kara was being honest, there wasn't much going on in Alex's hospital room, anyway.

So now, Kara was waiting. Waiting for a lot of things. Waiting for Eliza's flight to land, waiting for an update on Alex, waiting to have her sister back and for everything to be okay.

Kara released a heavy exhale and leaned forward so her elbows were propped on the edge of Alex's bed and dropped her head into her hands. The hospital monitors beeped a symphony, upsetting the otherwise too silent, too sterile air. The blonde readjusted herself so her cheek rested against Alex's thigh and she threaded their fingers together, looking up at her sister's pale face. If Kara tried really hard and focused on Alex's heartbeat with her newly returned powers, she could almost pretend the agent was sleeping. Like the lazy weekend mornings when they were teenagers and Alex had no sports games or meets or projects and she'd sleep in late while Kara waited and waited for sister to wake up so they could watch tv or talk or just take the car and drive.

Kara blinked slowly, sleepily; she didn't want to think about the hospital or the machines, just wanted Alex better and smiling and present again. "Alex, I miss you," she murmured softly. "Keep on fighting, okay? We'll do something fun when you wake up and you're all better; go on vacation or anything, whatever you want." Kara pressed her nose into the cloth surrounding Alex. "You just have to wake up. Promise you'll wake up." Her voice paused and quivered. "You… you always say how much the world needs Supergirl, but Alex-" The blonde broke off, taking a slow, shaky breath before continuing. "Alex, the world needs you. I _need_ you. I can't live without you, I just can't," she finished, tucking further against the brunette. Kara closed her eyes, so that it was easier to hear her sister's heartbeat.

/

"Kara."

There was a soft voice calling her name as the heaviness of sleep ebbed away. The blonde blinked in the darkness, feeling the warmth of a hand rub her shoulder then fall to rub circles on her back. It was a touch she'd known for a long time.

"Eliza!" Kara cried as she stood up and turned, throwing her arms around her foster mother. "I'm sorry," the young woman said in an outpour of shaky breath as she held Eliza in a tight hug. "I'm so, so sorry I couldn't protect her."

"Kara, sweetheart, there was nothing you could have done. I don't want you blaming yourself for this. It wasn't your fault, okay?"

The blonde nodded against Eliza's shoulder and bit back tears, giving a small whisper of 'okay.'

Eliza leaned back and looked Kara in the eyes, tucking a strand of mused blonde hair behind the younger woman's ear. "The nurses filled me in on Alex's condition, they _also_ filled me in on you. Honey, you've got to take care of yourself, too. When Alex wakes up she's going to need you. I hear you're barely eating and was this really your first time sleeping since you two came in?"

Kara shrugged and she looked miserable; skin pale, eyes tired.

"It's nearly ten PM, Kara, go home, even if it's just for the night. I so appreciate you being here for Alex, but please don't forget about yourself. I'll stay with Alex," Eliza said and Kara noticed for the first time that Eliza was standing between the two, one hand holding Alex's, the other on Kara's shoulder. The three Danvers women, struck by grief again.

Kara opened her mouth to argue but stopped. "Okay" she agreed, even though everything in her heart and head wanted to stay. It felt like when she'd been younger; when she was tiptoeing. She didn't want to be a burden, she didn't want to argue with Eliza; it wasn't fair to the older woman, not when she gave so much and Kara just blazed in a path of destruction and pain and mess.

"Thank you," Eliza said and pulled Kara into another hug. The blonde breathed in the presence of her foster mother one more time, soaking up the warmth and comfort. Kara hadn't realized how much she'd missed her. She waited a few seconds longer before pulling away.

"Go take care of yourself, sweetheart. Get some rest, eat something—eat a lot," Eliza said with a smile, drawing a small laugh from Kara. "Shower, change. I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay," Kara said, swallowing through a lump in her throat. "You'll call me if anything happens, right?"

"Of course," Eliza promised and gently patted Kara's back. "Now go get some sleep. I love you."

"I love you, too," Kara said, looking at Eliza and casting a long glance at Alex. A knot formed in her stomach as she walked out of the room, and this time it felt like stepping out of the car on her first day of school on Earth, or dropping Alex off at college; like everything was changing and she was all alone.

A few minutes passed and Kara was up in the sky, soaring through the dark air. She whipped around, hair flying behind her as she traveled as quickly as she could willing herself to go faster, faster, faster. It was all too similar and she couldn't bring herself to go back to her apartment. Not yet, when her head was busy and her heart was racing and it felt like everything was collapsing in.

Somehow she found herself in front of CatCo, and without really thinking her legs carried her through the lobby and into the elevator and then she was moving up and out into the workroom before she could stop herself.

It suddenly felt important that she find the picture of her and Alex, the one she'd been examining the night of the crash. The floor was nearly empty and Kara quickly closed the distance to her desk, pulling open the drawer and shuffling around until she found the photograph and tugged it out.

She ran her fingers over the image and it was almost as though she were back in that moment. It'd been hot and sunny and she could remember the feeling of the UV rays warming her skin. Kara pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, she wanted to cry but all she felt was a numb sadness radiating through her body. Maybe she'd cried herself out on that first night, because there hadn't been any tears since then, just a persistent, pulsating pain and the feeling that it was getting harder to breathe.

Kara continued to look at the picture, back where things were good and safe. Both sisters were beaming, the color vibrant, the moment preserved. They had their arms slung around each other and Alex was wearing a sports jersey for their high school. It must have been for track or cross country or _something_ to do with running because the jersey didn't have any sleeves and Kara could see teal peeking out beneath the fabric, it was Alex's lucky sports bra, the one she _absolutely could not_ race without. The brunette had just won something, her cheeks were flushed, her skin shiny with sweat; and Kara remembered being so proud to have Alex as a sister. Alex had been so happy; so alive, and now, Kara didn't even know if her sister was going to wake up.

Footsteps snapped through the hall of the floor buzzing with a few late night employees finishing up articles or making last minute edits. Kara didn't look up.

"Kiera, what on Earth are you doing here at this ungodly hour and _where_ have you been for the past two days?" Cat walked in, hand on her hip and shoes clicking.

Kara's head snapped up, she stood frozen, mouth open slightly as if to answer but no words came.

"Well," Cat snipped, looking Kara up and down. "You look atrocious. This better be vaguely interesting and catastrophic at the least, if you hope to keep your job. The lies James and that hobbit have been spewing have been remarkably unfulfilling."

"I—umm." Kara looked down and tugged the sleeves of her cable-knit sweater over her hands, they were shaking. She squeezed the picture between her fingers.

Cat snapped impatiently.

Kara's words fell out in rush of quick breaths. "My sister got into a bad car accident Tuesday night, it was raining, there was a drunk driver, the police found him down the road, walking into town; perfectly fine. He'd walked away from the crash. Left—left my sister, left Alex, there to die." Kara pulled in a huge, shaking breath. Cat stood, silent. "She-she was supposed to meet me at my apartment but she was late and it kept getting later and I was so worried. When I found her… when I found her, on the side of the road, she was all alone, she was covered in blood, she was barely breathing, she wasn't even conscious. And then he car caught fire and I pulled her out but after that there was nothing I could do but wait and _just hope_ that she wasn't going to die in my arms on the side of some stupid road in the middle of thunderstorm and now—now she…"

Cat grabbed Kara's wrist and pulled the younger woman into her office. Kara followed without protesting, hiccupping softly as tears began to stream down her cheeks. She didn't move from her boss' side as Cat shut the door and closed the blinds.

With a gentle hand, Cat guided Kara to the couch and motioned for her to sit while the older woman sat across from her. She fought a cringe as Kara sniffled and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her sweater.

"She's in a coma," Kara said, finishing and telling the whole story for the first time. Saying it out loud solidified the reality of the situation and Kara felt worry churn in her stomach. When she looked up there was a softness in Cat's eyes that Kara only saw on rare occasions.

Cat handed Kara a tissue and leaned forward, pointing at the brunette in the picture still grasped between Kara's fingers. "Is that your sister?"

Kara nodded, sniffling and wiping her eyes. "Sorry," she murmured, shifting her gaze downward. "I know you don't-don't like crying in the office."

Cat reached out and took Kara's hand. "You don't need to apologize, not this time. This is different."

Kara shook her head and squeezed her eyes closed tightly before opening them again.

"I'm sorry about your sister," Cat said and Kara whispered a quiet thanks.

A short silence stretched between them. Cat sat examining her assistant. It'd been a long time since she'd seen someone so distraught. Something tugged in Cat's chest; despite what her hard façade would suggest, she cared about her assistant. She believed in the younger woman, saw great things in her future, especially if she had a mentor to guide her, and Cat was proud to see herself as that mentor.

"Is there anything I can do to help Alex?"

Kara shook her head and her bottom lip quivered as she whispered another thanks.

"What about you?" Cat attempted, and tried to catch Kara's eyes. "You're not holding up well, are you?"

The young blonde's shoulders rose and fell in a hopeless, heavy shrug. Her whole posture seemed to sag as her breath hitched and a sob caught in her throat. It was as though once she'd started crying, she couldn't stop. The weight of the past few days finally descended on her, now that she didn't have to be strong for Alex or Hank or Eliza. Her whole frame quivered, the strength of each sob racking her body.

Cat pressed her lips together, tilting her head as she looked at Kara with soft, concerned eyes. It looked like the young woman was being swallowed by the couch; swallowed by grief. In that moment, Kara wasn't an adult or an employee to Cat, she was just a kid. Cat saw Carter in Kara, saw Adam. Saw a girl who'd lost her parents and might lose her sister now, too.

Cat hesitated briefly before standing and taking a seat beside Kara. The woman put a hand on Kara's shoulder, seeing how Kara responded. The blonde turned into the touch and Cat pulled Kara into a hug. The young woman was tense for a second before she relaxed. She was clinging to Cat, she was clinging to something—anything—that would keep her afloat.

Warmth radiated from Kara and her body shook against Cat. She closed her eyes briefly and ran her hand over Kara's hair, over her back, holding the girl firmly as tears soaked Cat's shoulder. She'd held Carter like this before and wondered why the world always got to the good ones, why it always tried to tear them down.

Kara's shoulders heaved violently, her breathing fast, her tears hard.

"It's my fault," Kara whispered, and the embarrassment she felt at falling apart in front of her boss was overpowered by anguish.

"What's your fault?" Cat asked, pulling back slightly to try and get a look at Kara.

"The car crash, Alex getting hurt, Alex in the hospital—I was the one who invited her over, and then I couldn't protect her," Kara managed between hiccups and her slowing tears.

"Kara, this is very important," Cat said, leaning back. "I need you to look at me."

The blonde sniffled and raised her head, brushing away tears from her red-rimmed eyes.

"Good," Cat said when they finally made eye contact. "Were you driving the car?"

"What?" Kara scrunched her brows together. "No?"

"Did you drink and then decide to get in a car and drive?"

"No," Kara answered, confusion still tinting her voice.

"Then it wasn't your fault."

Kara straightened up, ran a hand through her hair. "But-"

Cat held up a hand, interrupting Kara. "It was an accident—a preventable, stupid accident, but an accident nonetheless, and it was not your fault. The blame lies with the man who made the irresponsible, reckless decision to drink and drive."

Kara gave a nod and rubbed away the remainder of the tears slowly trickling down her cheeks.

"Do you believe me?"

"I want to," Kara answered with an apologetic look.

"Well I _suppose_ that's a start," Cat said standing up, relieved to see Kara crack a small, watery smile.

"Thank you, Ms. Grant, for everything and I'm sorry," Kara said as she followed Cat's lead and moved from the couch, pocketing the photo of her and Alex.

The woman waved a dismissive hand. "Stop, I'll have none of that. What's happened has happened and is perfectly fine, so long as no one else in this office gets any ideas. God forbid I have to see Greg from accounting cry on this couch one more time."

"His name is George and you fired him last week."

"Ah, well, I guess that's one less thing I'll have to worry about," Cat said with an air on nonchalance as she gathered her things. "Chop, chop, come along now. I'll have my driver drop you off on my way home."

Kara shifted uncomfortably. "Ms. Grant, you don't have to do that."

"Of course not, but I want to, so hurry up before I change my mind."

"Thank you."

"Stop saying that."

"Okay," Kara replied with a small grin, finding comfort in the normalcy.

/

Alex was beginning to show greater signs of improvement, she was withdrawing to pain and although she hadn't spoken yet, she'd opened her eyes and even responded intermittently to commands.

Kara was alone in the hospital room reading a book, or at least she had been before she fell asleep to the hum of Alex's monitors and the trickle of rain just beyond the window.

In her dream she was outside CatCo chasing some obscure alien when it stopped, turned around and grabbed her hand. She wrinkled her nose in confusion. Around her, people brushed by and she glanced behind her, but when she looked back the alien was gone. Instead, her mother was holding her hand, she could feel the warmth, the softness this time as she focused.

A drizzle fell from the sky and someone was still holding her hand.

Kara smoothed the front of her skirt and squinted. Someone was holding her hand.

Someone was holding her hand! Someone was _squeezing_ her hand!

Kara's eyes shot open, she glanced down at her hand, sprawled on Alex's bed, and saw her sister's fingers curled around it. Kara looked up, saw Alex's open, but they were different this time, sharper; and then, Alex spoke.

"Kara," she rasped through the oxygen mask. Kara's hand flew up to cover her own mouth, tears spilled from her eyes as a smile split across her face.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Yeah, Alex it's me."

The blonde returned the squeeze to Alex's hand, and with her other, pressed the button to alert the nurses.

"Oh, Rao, I've missed you, Alex. You have no idea how much I missed you," Kara said, gently running her fingers through Alex's hair. The brunette gazed at her sister drowsily and a sleepy smile tugged across her lips. It was the best thing Kara had ever seen in her life.

"Love you," Alex murmured, her words were slow and a bit slurred, but they made Kara's heart swell and sing and she couldn't wipe the growing smile from her face.

"I love you, too," Kara said and brushed a tear off Alex's cheek with the pad of her thumb. "I love you so much and all of this is going to be fine, you don't have to be scared. You've made it this far. We're in it together, okay?"

Alex gave a small nod, still blinking up at Kara, still holding her hand, still every piece of the fighter she had been, and still knowing, amongst the confusion in her head, that with Kara by her side everything would end up okay.

* * *

 **A/N (continued): Thanks for reading. :) I hope you liked the chapter and I'd love to hear your thoughts!**

Prompt: **Alex gets into a car crash and falls into a coma**


	19. Chapter 19 - Post Finale Fight Scene

**A/N:** Hi everyone, I hope you're doing well! Thank you so much for the reads, follows, favorites, and reviews (Also, to the guests that review-I read your comments and they mean so much. Thank you!). Special thanks to the guest who sent in today's prompt: **An extension of the scene after their fight in the season finale.**

I hope I did the prompt justice. I tried to find the episode online but I couldn't, so this chapter might not be entirely canon, but I tried my best. It takes place near the ending of the fight scene.

Just so you know, the poll has been updated!

I hope you enjoy, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)

* * *

Her diaphragm heaved in short, shallow breaths; blonde hair cascaded over her face, blocking out the sight of Alex. Kara's vision was, instead, a mix of gravel and wet pavement. She tilted her head, caught the moment when Eliza got through to Alex, and held onto the whispers that passed between them.

A few seconds passed as the two embraced before Kara heard the scuffling of shoes against the road. As she tried to sit up, her arms quivered, her side burned with pain, her body ached. A gentle touch fell upon her back and her shoulder; simultaneously hugging her and helping her up. Eliza.

The contact was warm and Kara caught her foster mother's eyes, comfort flooded her body and her breathing slowed. She wanted to be in Eliza's arms and holding Alex's hand. She didn't want the world to be falling apart.

Kara tried again to straighten up, this time with Eliza's help. Now Alex was close and kneeling in front of her sister with this heartbroken look tugging at her features. "I'm so sorry," Alex said, her voice cracking, gravel biting into her knees as she stooped on the pavement.

The blonde tried to say it was okay, but the words got stuck in throat, mixed with a heavy breath. Her head was still reeling, heart still thundering. The active kryptonite in her proximity made everything more difficult and painful. It was hard to think, her thoughts slippery and abstract.

Eliza moved a hand from Kara's shoulder to brush a strand of blonde hair off the girl's face. Kara looked at Alex, there was so much to say, her eyes were so heavy, her heart so full. The younger Danvers sister opened her mouth to talk, but her elbow buckled and her hand slipped. Her body jerked to the side and despite all attempts to stop it, a whimper escaped from her lips as she tried to straighten.

It was all coming down on her; the green kryptonite, the fight with her sister, the injuries.

Eliza was asking if she was okay and Alex was biting her lip, brows drawn in concern. Kara managed a nod against Eliza's shoulder as the woman pulled her into an embrace, held her tight, and Kara threaded her aching arms against Eliza, just trying to catch her breath and find the words to tell Alex that it was okay.

/

Kara had spent the past five minutes trying to catch her sister's gaze. The silence between them was glass—sharp and fragile. Passing seconds were punctuated by inhales and exhales and the soft hum of the dingy overhead lights. Kara suppressed a grimace as Alex tugged another stitch through her sister's side. _Apparently,_ the green kryptonite Non had built into Alex's sword was the high-grade crystallized stuff, with a prolonged effect, preventing her from healing and sending pain bolting through her body, radiating from the gash spanning her side, where it felt like the green kryptonite had permeated through the open wound. Bruises had blossomed across her skin, blood still trickling from the cut she'd accumulated when she'd hit the brick wall and crashed against the ground.

Even though the kryptonite was gone, its effects were still lingering and Kara could feel every stitch that her foster mom and Hank and Alex had insisted she have 'just in case.'

"Sorry," Alex breathed out when she pulled another green k laced needle through Kara's abdomen and the blonde flinched.

"It's okay," Kara said, giving a small smile and trying again to catch her sister's gaze. The blonde was still feeling a little out of it, but the warmth of the room and removal of active green kryptonite was starting to help a bit.

Alex's moves were stiff and professional. She was being Doctor Alex and Agent Alex, Kara thought as she leaned back with a sigh. She wanted her sister. She wanted normal Alex.

Kara tapped her fingers against the metal table and squeezed her eyes closed, trying to distract herself as the needle pierced her skin again.

A drop of water splashed against her bare abdomen and she opened her eyes, glancing upward to search the ceiling for a leak. She squinted into the lights and began examining the beige tiles. She was on her sixth visual inspection when she felt another drop, followed by a soft sniff and oh, _oh_ it definitely wasn't a leak.

Kara dropped her gaze so it was level with Alex. The brunette's face was turned away from Kara, her features obscured, but Kara could see Alex's hands as they closed the last suture and cut the thread. They were shaking. Hard. Her fingers quivered and Kara watched as her sister took a deep breath and more tears splashed onto Kara's skin.

 _Alex._ Kara's heart thumped in her chest, her stomach sank. She felt herself sigh softly as she reached out and grabbed her sister's trembling hand.

"Alex."

The brunette shook her head and dropped the gauze bundled in her first. A long, shuddering wheezing breath vibrated through the air and Kara knew her sister was trying not to cry.

"Alex," Kara repeated and pushed herself into a sitting position. "Alex, it's all right."

Kara put her arms on Alex's shoulder and turned her around so they were facing each other. The agent dropped her head, casting her eyes downward. Her shoulders slumped, her arms hung limply.

"I have to…" Alex began and trailed off, reaching for a new piece of gauze.

"Wait, stop." Kara said.

Alex looked up, eyes watery and red. She sniffled and heaved a long breath, keeping silent. Kara took Alex's hands and swung them gently.

"Lex, it's okay. You're okay. Everything's okay."

"No, it's not," Alex breathed out and hiccupped.

"What do you mean?" Kara asked, pulling her brows together and sliding off the table so she was standing.

"I—I almost killed you today, Kar," Alex said, pushing tears off her cheek. "You could have died because of _me,_ and that is _not_ okay. It will _never_ be okay."

Kara shook her head and wrapped her arms about Alex, holding her in a tight hug. The blonde could feel each of her sister's sobs, could hear each shaky inhale and heartbeat. Kara held her tightly but gently, in the balance she'd memorized so long ago; the pressure, the touch suited just for Alex. Kara let her eyes fall closed for a moment while she rubbed Alex's back, ran her hand over her sister's short hair. "Alex, it wasn't your fault. I don't blame you."

The agent sobbed in response and gathered the fabric of Kara's suit in her hand, squeezing tightly.

"Oh, Lex," Kara held her sister a little tighter. "Non was in your head and you were _still_ able to fight him. You got him out. You did well, sis. It turned out okay," Kara said and her voice was soft and soothing.

Alex nestled her face harder against Kara's shoulder. "I'm sorry." She repeated, "I'm so, so sorry. Kara, I'm sorry."

Kara nosed Alex's hair. "There's no need to be sorry." The blonde kept holding her sister, hoping that somehow it would be enough.

"I love you," Kara promised. "And nothing can ever change that, okay?"

Alex nodded, her grip loosening.

Kara tilted her head, seeking out Alex's gaze. "Remember what you'd always say to me when I first got here and I'd feel guilty after messing something up for you?"

"We're sisters," Alex began, looking up and meeting Kara's eyes. "And family is forever."

Alex wrinkled her nose and cracked a small smile. "It's _so_ cheesy."

"But it's true," Kara said with a grin and tucked a strand of Alex's hair behind her ear.

Alex gave another nod. "Yeah, it is." She patted the table with one hand and wiped her remaining tears with the other. "Come on, I'm still not finished with you."

Kara gave an exaggerated groan and pushed herself up onto the table. "See," she made a large gesture to the area her, "I'm already feeling better."

"Yeah, well, you're getting bandaged up, just in case," Alex said, gently wrapping Kara's side and dressing her stitches. "All done," she announced a moment later.

Kara slipped off the table again and gave Alex a serious look. "It really wasn't your fault. It wasn't," she said and pulled Alex into another hug at the sight of Alex's teary eyes.

"Let's go save the world, big sis," Kara whispered and leaned back to give her sister a grin.

Alex returned a watery smile and bumped her sister's hand. "Let's do it."


	20. Chapter 20 - Kara's First Panic Attack

**A/N:** Hello! Thanks so much for all the reviews, favorites, follows, and reads! Things have been a bit (a lot) hectic on my end, but I really wanted to get a chapter out for you guys. The prompt that received the most votes is a bit complicated ( _hint!_ ) so it's taking a decent amount of planning to work out, as a result I decided to finish a different prompt that I already had half written. I had a super (haha) time writing it, so I hope you enjoy it!

Also, the poll will be temporarily on hold for a while since I kind of have a few prompts currently in progress, but feel free to keep submitting and I'll add everything to the updated version when it's ready! And, if you haven't voted already, you're still able to vote on this one.

Big thanks to BiaZor-El for the awesome prompt: **Kara's first panic attack and how Alex helped her.**

* * *

During Kara's fourth week on Earth, they think she's gotten sick. Eliza and Jerimiah aren't sure how or if it's even possible, and Alex is mostly just trying to figure out was exactly happened almost a month ago when an alien landed on her lawn and moved into the guestroom across the hall.

Kara is barely eating, her skin taking on a paler hue when her powers should be finishing their development. If the manifestation of her powers are anything like Kal-El's, she should be eating more, getting stronger, finally starting to acclimate to her new environment. Instead, Kara is looking worse with each passing day.

"Kara, sweetie, wake up," Eliza says, placing a gentle hand on the blonde's shoulder.

The young girl stirs and lifts her head from her arms where she's fallen asleep at the kitchen counter while eating breakfast. Her waffles lay cut and uneaten, merely shoved around on a plate and cast aside. She blinks slowly up at Eliza, dark lashes fluttering against the girl's cheeks, frown pulling across her small, pink lips.

"You fell asleep eating breakfast," Eliza explains softly and draws slow circles on Kara's back.

"Oh," Kara whispers and raises a loose fist to rub her eyes. "Sorry."

"Come on, we're gonna be late for school," Alex calls from the door, backpack slung over one shoulder, Converse tapping against the floor.

"Relax, Alex, there's still ten minutes before you need to leave," Eliza says before turning back to Kara. "There's no need to be sorry, honey. Are you feeling okay?" the older woman asks, extending a hand to feel Kara's forehead, but it feels fine; normal.

Kara nods and ducks her head to hide the tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm okay," she says quietly and scampers up the stairs. The words feel bitter and fake in her mouth. She isn't okay. She's never going to be okay—how could she, when her whole family is dead and her entire planet has been burned and nothing remains of her past life except for pieces of dust scattered through space and a white shirt and pair of pants in a box under her bed? The same white fabric she cries into when it's past midnight and she's the only one awake; the same fabric she's looking for now.

Kara throws open the door to her room and tugs the box from beneath the bedframe, scrambling to find her last tie to Krypton, the clothes she'd worn the last time she'd seen her parents and her planet and her home.

Her hands skim the edge of the box as she pulls off the lid and fishes her fingers inside, immediately brushing the cloth and breathing a heavy sigh of relief. She closes her eyes and brings the bundle to her nose. The fading scent smells of home and her mother. Tears prick in her eyes, only a few more hours—days, maybe, if she's lucky-and the scent will be nothing but memory, like so much else she's already lost.

"I'm sorry," she murmurs into the fabric, lips brushing against the material. "I've failed you, mother. I haven't been strong or brave," she sighs and closes her eyes. "I miss you all too much."

"I'm sorry," she repeats and pulls the fabric closer so it's cradled against her chest.

"Kara," comes a voice and a knock on the door. The blonde takes one last deep breath before putting the clothing away and shoving the box back under her bed. She stands, rubs her palms on her jeans, straightens her shirt, brushes away her tears and makes her way to the door. "Yes?" she calls softly.

"It's Eliza, honey. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Kara roughly pushes away new tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm fine," she says as she steadies herself and turns the doorknob, appearing in front of Eliza.

"If you don't feel good you can stay home from school. When Kal-El lived with us, Jerimiah and I discovered he can't get sick, but things may be different for you."

"I'm okay, really," Kara says and makes a wobbly attempt at a smile.

Eliza kneels down, gently brushes away the remnants of Kara's tears, and pulls her into a hug. "I know things are difficult, Kara. If you ever want to talk about any of it, I'm right here. Always available to you."

Kara nods and squeezes Eliza a little tighter. "Thank you."

Eliza runs her hand over Kara's hair. "I love you.

Kara gives another nod, still unable to get the words out. Eliza stands up and pats Kara's back. "You ready for school?"

Kara nods and from the door way Jerimiah smiles. "Go get 'em, tough thing."

She grins back at him and tries to shove away the knot in her stomach.

"I don't wanna be late, we need to go now," Alex's voice carries up the stairs. Eliza rolls her eyes and Jerimiah shakes his head, pulling a small laugh from Kara.

"Looks like we're on the clock," Jerimiah says, smiling and handing Kara her backpack.

/

Alex tugs her hair free from her backpack strap as she navigates the sea of people in the crowded school courtyard. The final bell buzzed minutes ago and if Alex doesn't find Kara soon, they're _totally_ going to miss the bus.

Two passing high fives, three short conversations and five minutes later find Alex checking the last bathroom on campus. Her friend, Megan, trails at her side, talking excitedly about some chem experiment in seventh period that had produced several small, controlled fires at each station.

"Wait hold on," Alex says, pausing as a soft crying sound permeates the air. She ducks her head and recognizes the yellow Converse she'd helped Kara pick out last week and the light blue backpack.

"Is that her?" Megan asks, whispering loudly. "Is she okay?"

"Of course she's not okay, Megan, do you hear her?" Alex says, side eyeing her friend.

Megan holds up her hands.

"I'll catch you later," Alex says, bumping Megan's shoulder teasingly before she leaves.

As soon as the bathroom is empty Alex sighs, fidgeting with the strap of her backpack. "Kara, what's wrong?"

The brunette receives a whimper in reply.

"Can you come out?" Alex says.

"I ca-can't b-breathe," Kara manages through short, sharp gasps.

Alex heaves another sigh and eye roll before glancing around. She dumps her stuff to the ground and gets down on all fours, squirming her way under the stall. She stands up in front of Kara, wrinkling her nose and wiping her hands on her jeans.

"That was gross," she mutters, shifting her gaze from the floor up to Kara. When she catches sight of her new, alien sister, Alex feels her smile fall. Kara really does look like she's struggling to breathe. Her shoulders are heaving, tears spilling from her eyes and down her cheeks like large raindrops. And, while Alex is just standing there trying to figure out what to do, Kara is looking at her, through glossy, wet eyes, like Alex has all the answers, like Alex is the only one Kara trusts to fix this.

"Oh, shit, okay," Alex says finally, when another set of hyperventilating breaths jars her into action. Kara is having a panic attack. Alex is _pretty_ sure—not 100%, because she's only seen them on tv or in movies—but this seems close. Close enough, at least.

She reaches out and takes Kara's hand, waiting to see how she'll react. The blonde latches on, squeezing Alex's hand, and even though it stings, Alex refuses to let go, instead returning the squeeze.

"We're gonna get out of here, okay?" Alex says, ducking her head to catch Kara's gaze. "Just a short, little walk."

Alex unlocks the door and slings Kara's backpack over one shoulder and carries her own. The youngest Danvers gives a small hiccup and nods.

"It's okay," Alex says as they walk. "It'll be fine. You'll be fine."

They stop at the end of a field, beneath a tree with crinkly, orange leaves. Alex deposits their stuff to the ground once more, before easing Kara down into a sitting position. Kara's breaths are coming in short, quick bursts, worse than before. Her chest feels tight, her stomach twisting. She can smell smoke, see Krypton exploding, hear her mother's voice in a loop, running through her head. It's too much. It's always going to be too much.

"Kara, focus on me," Alex says, her voice distant and abstract. Intangible. It doesn't get through.

Kara's vision is spotty and dark. It's all a blur.

Her breath is catching faster and faster in her chest. Tears gathering and falling with each shudder.

She can't breathe. She's going to die.

A small part of her wonders if it could possibly hurt more than what she's been feeling.

Everything is crashing down. She's suffocating. She's drowning.

She can't breathe. She's going to die.

The world is a haze of orange and fire and pain. Insufferable, blinding pain that chisels her from the inside out; hollows her, until it's all she knows.

She can't breathe, she can't breathe, she can't breathe.

Her entire body is shaking. Her teeth chatter. She sobs and sobs and it feels like it will never end.

It's windy outside and the weather is cool and Alex has never felt so helpless in her life.

"Kara," she says firmly. "I'm right here. Just you and me. We're at school. We're on Earth."

Kara crouches forward, muds seeps through the denim of her jeans and smudges around her palms. It's like she can't see. She can't move. She can't get out of her mind. Can't escape from the weight of grief.

It's agony.

Inside her head, she's screaming and her heart is pounding. Each beat louder and quicker than the last.

Her heart's going to explode. She can't breathe. She's going to die.

It's all too much. It's all too much.

Alex tears her eyes away from Kara, pulls her flip phone from her bag and shoots her parents a text before returning her attention to the blonde falling apart in front of her. Alex feels her heart tug in a way it never has before—protectively and entirely. She's not sure if she's ever cared about someone so much, and she's reaching out. Reaching out with a new desperation, a new fierceness.

She needs to be a sister to Kara, and she needs to start now. Can't let this slip away.

"Kara," Alex tries again. "It's Alex." She swallows. "It's your sister." And she brushes away some stupid tears that brim in her eyes. It's the first time she's said it.

 _Sister._ Kara knows that word, knows there's only one place in the universe where she has one. Or at least where she's supposed to. It's not Krypton—not the burning, aching memory that's holding her mind captive.

Her vision sharpens just a bit and her head follows. She finds the clarity to uncurl herself a little and raises her eyes to meet Alex.

The brunette smiles. "There you go," she says and gives Kara's hand a warm squeeze. "You've got it. I bet if you listen really hard, you can find my heartbeat," Alex says, waiting until Kara gives a small, watery nod as she sniffles, still breathing hard.

"Okay cool, that's perfect. Good job. See? Everything is okay, you're on Earth. You're safe," Alex says, leaves crunching beneath her knees as she leans forward. "Want to breathe together? Come on, in and out, nice and slow. Just follow me."

They continue until Kara's breathing finally evens out, slackens into deep, heavy breathes; and her tears lull into a soft steady stream.

She's starting to feel okay again, like some giant thunderstorm has passed and now she just has to pick up the pieces and she'll be fine. She has to be fine.

Alex has taken shape again, sharp and real.

She has to be fine.

"You're doing great," the brunette coos and seeks out Kara's gaze again, but the younger girl keeps her head down, and small, little tears splash onto her jeans.

She looks up at last, and their eyes lock. Warm brown linking with piercing blue.

Kara drops her head again. "I'm sorry," she says. Her voice is hoarse and breathy. "I'm really sorry," her words nearly buckle in her throat.

Alex is horrified, brows furrowed, heart tugging again. "No, no, don't be sorry. It's okay."

"I m-messed up y-your day. I em-embarrassed y-you," Kara murmurs.

"No," Alex says, shaking her head. "It's fine. You were fine. It happens. We're… we're sisters, remember?"

Kara looks up hesitantly and when Alex gives a smile, the blonde manages a nod.

"I've got your back, okay?" Alex says. "And I'm sorry for how I treated you early."

" 's okay." Kara sniffles.

"No it's not," Alex says and reaches out. She runs her thumb across Kara's cheek. "Sorry," the brunette mutters and blush blooms across her own cheeks. "You had some mud there."

"It's okay," Kara says and suddenly her eyes flicker toward the road. "Eliza and Jerimiah are here," she announces nearly a minute before Alex can see them. But when she does, Kara shoots up and sprints to greet them, flinging herself into Eliza's arm and burying her face into the woman's shoulder. When Kara looks up, she sees Alex carrying their stuff over, and the brunette shoots her little sister a smile. Kara thinks she'll be fine.

That night, after telling Eliza and Jerimiah that the scent of fire and a loud noise had prompted her panic attack, Kara has a nightmare. When she climbs out of bed with tear stained cheeks, her feet move without thinking, carry her down the hall. She finds herself lingering in the doorway of Alex's bedroom, instead of crying into the fabric of her lost, distant home. Alex holds up her sheets and Kara scrambles beneath them. It's safety and warmth. When Kara wakes up the next morning, still snuggled against her big sister, she knows things have changed. She knows she'll be fine. Knows she'll be more than fine.


	21. Chapter 21 - Black Mercy

**A/N:** I am trying so hard to keep this story updated for you guys, and I so appreciate all the favorite, follows, reads, and reviews. Thank you so much.

The poll still hasn't been updated yet (I'm so sorry), but just know that any prompts you have recently submitted have been added to the prompt list and will be on the next poll, which will likely be updated with the next chapter of this fic.

Special thanks to the guest who sent in today's awesome prompt!

I'm feeling kind of shaky about this one, so I hope I did it justice. Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)

Also... HAPPY (ALMOST) SUPERGIRL MONDAY!

Prompt: **This would be set during the time Kara was under the Black Mercy. What if Alex was sent to the Phantom Zone before Kara could reach her? Now Kara has to find a way to save Alex and Alex has to fight other prisoners to stay alive in the Phantom Zone until Kara can save them both from the Black Mercy. (So, basically Kara can't wake up from the Black Mercy without saving Alex because Alex's mind would still be trapped if she did).**

* * *

"Alex!" Kara screamed, reality breaking in, crashing down on her in color and pain.

"Kara!" Alex yelled back and reached out to her sister. The guards slammed Alex back into the ground and she winced, a sharp, white pain shooting through her abdomen.

Their fingers brushed, just a second of contact, a sliver of comfort spread in limbo between them before the room shook and the guards closed in.

Their hands separated, the moment broken and shattered as quickly as it had come.

A guard moved Alex roughly, shoving a knee into her stomach and yanking her back up as she doubled over. He dragged her onto the transporter and slammed the button. A blue beam shot upward; air howled; Alex disappeared, banished to the phantom zone.

Kara starred into the empty space Alex had occupied just moments earlier. She could feel her heart pounding in chest as dust rose and fell from the quakes that had racked the building; racked her home. But it wasn't real.

Her brain was screaming.

It wasn't real.

She wanted this home, this family, this life.

It wasn't real.

But Alex was.

"What did you do to her?" Kara yelled, her voice vibrating through the still air. It was too perfect, it was too fragile. Already, the colors were fading, her time waning. After Alex's appearance Kara's mind couldn't accept the façade, subconsciously and beyond her control, her body was fighting the parasite, and if Kara didn't find Alex soon, the agent would be trapped in the delusions indefinitely, maybe even forever.

"She's going to the Phantom Zone, we're safe now."

"I have to go," Kara said, her eyes darting around the scene. Her stomach twisted at the contrast; the juxtaposition of her once warm home to the betrayal she felt burning in her core; the coldness that made her stomach drop and her breath catch. She was losing them all over again. "I have to find her," Kara choked out; Alex her sister, Alex her lifeline, Alex the only reason she managed to stay afloat sometimes.

"It was merely a nightmare," the figure of Alura said, and Kara refused to think of the form as her mother any longer.

The brunette stepped forward, placed a hand on Kara's shoulder. "Your fever from earlier must have returned."

Simultaneously, Kara wanted to lean into the touch and recoil from it. She squeezed her eyes shut and stumbled back, shaking her head. She swallowed hard.

A shade of color was stripped form the vibrancy of her surroundings. More time was being lost.

Time. She needed more time. She needed to buy more time.

"Okay," Kara said and it felt bitter in her mouth; like relenting, like giving up. But maybe, if she played along with their façade, if she kept it up a little longer, she could get to Alex before it was too late and Kara's body pulled away before her sister's mind could come home, too.

/

Gravel bit into Alex's knees as she crashed onto the ground. Gravity felt heavy; her lungs tight. She wiped her palms against the fabric of her tactical suit and small black particles fell back to the dust surrounding her feet. A cough heaved through her lungs. She brought a palm to her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut, fending off the pounding pulsating through her skull. The sound of crunching gravel pulled her eyes open.

She looked around, saw a shadow approaching in the darkness of the barren wasteland she'd been banished to. Before she'd even had the chance to focus on the creature, it descended on her and a sharp pain split from her head down her vertebrae.

Her body stiffened before her training immediately took over, she landed a kick into the core of the alien, sending it off balance and stumbling backward. The being growled, its razor teeth made apparent in the reflective light of surrounding moons, as it moved to land another hit to the back of Alex's head. Alex tugged the gun from the holster settled across her hip. She fired a clip into alien's chest. An aggravated gurgling sound was produced by the creature before it ripped the bullets from its scaly skin and sent the small pieces of metal clattering to the ground.

Its claw collided with her abdomen, sent her doubling over as another being appeared and shoved her back, pushing Alex onto the ground. Dust rose, clouded her eyes and filled her nose, her mouth; descending on her senses.

The creatures communicated in a tongue foreign to Alex's ears. The sneers and sharp tone was evident and she felt fear spiking in her chest, fusing with the pain radiating through her cells, reminding her painfully, that after all, she was only human.

/

The bed was soft beneath Kara, her mother's figure hovering above her as she placed a blanket over the girl. Kara's heart clenched painfully. _This isn't real. It isn't real._ She repeated in her head over and over so she wouldn't forget. It could be—it _would_ be—so easy to just close her eyes and let everything bad fade away, but it wasn't real.

It wasn't real.

Beneath the blanket she pinched herself, fiddling with the fabric above her. She needed to get to her family's database, so she could uncover the code to transport herself to the phantom zone and get to Alex. _Alex. Alex. Alex._

Alex and Earth and Supergirl: those things were real.

/

Blood. It permeated across Alex's taste buds as she received another blow to the head and sprawled across the ground. She was completely vulnerable. She was going to die.

More creatures had gathered, varying screeches filled the air. They grated through her ear, making her cringe. She braced herself for another blow, spitting blood while doing so and turning to her side.

Humans weren't welcomed here; in the Phantom Zone, humans were sentenced to death.

She bit her lip as a hit was delivered to her side and a crack punctured the darkness. She was going to die.

She closed her eyes and hoped Kara would still get home.

/

Kara shifted. She was pretending to sleep, but had instead spent the past half hour determining the location of the forms masquerading as her family. They were gathered in her room, looming over her. Their presence was suffocating.

She needed to get them out.

She needed to get to Alex.

A tremor shook the room, more color was torn from the scene.

Beneath the sheets she squeezed her hands into fists, so that her nails dug into her palm, leaving deep impressions in the soft skin.

/

From the darkness emerged a voice, feminine and sharp and demanding, and with it, an air of cognizance pervaded Alex's aching head. The creatures—or demons from hell as Alex liked to think of them—scattered.

She groaned and let her head drop to the ground, bringing her knees toward her chest. Illuminated from the distant light of stars and from the edge of her peripheral vision, Alex caught sight of a figure, the one that'd saved her. As she panted and pressed a hand against her side, the agent made out brown curls and sliver of silver. She wondered why that looked so familiar as the form disappeared into the darkness once again and Alex felt her eyes slipped closed.

/

Kara woke up, breath heaving in her chest. Darkness had fallen over Krypton, sending shadows sprawling across her bedroom.

Her heart pounded. The room was empty. Hours must have passed; her stomach lurched as she thought of Alex.

Slowly, as though not to create noise, Kara eased herself off the mattress. Her feet pattered against the ground, the coldness spreading across her skin. She shuffled through the room and out the door, skimming around the light in the hall that always drew long shadows. Beyond the window she could make out the city lights of Krypton. For a splinter of a second she was frozen. Her home had been so beautiful. But then a flutter of wind caught her hair through the open window and jolted her into action.

Each scuffle of her foot against the tile sent her muscles tensing. Just one misstep and this could all be over. She passed the table she'd once eaten dinner at with her parents every day for the first twelve years of her life and ran her hand along the hallway walls. It lacked the warmth it'd once emitted, now all Kara could think about were the parasitic form emulating her family, her home—and it all felt wrong, made her head and heart ache. She pulled her eyes away and sprinted the last few steps into her family's library.

Kara bypassed the virtual database, it was too loud and could take minutes to produce the specific result she needed. Time she didn't have.

Instead, her feet carried her to the shelves housing old books. As a child she'd once curled up against her mother as Alura paged through a government manual on the transportation system, reading to Kara's dad about the implementation of a specific code to trigger the activation of the device. They'd done stuff like that a lot when Kara was little—read and learned together, as a family—and the memories swirled through the blonde's head as she skimmed the spines of each book.

Her eyes caught the Kryptonese title and she eased the text from the shelf. The pages flapped quietly as Kara scanned as quickly as she could, absorbing the words as they flipped by. Finally, she found the code, repeated it in her head and committed the combination of letters and numbers to memory.

/

The air felt impossibly heavier as Alex came back into consciousness, peeling her eyelids open. Somehow, even after the hours that had crept by, the atmosphere was still dark. Alex rolled her eyes.

She let out a hard breath as she sat up, joints popping and cracking, aches radiating through her core and limbs. Her palms pressed into the dirt as she eased herself into a standing position and straightened up, taking account for her injuries and deciding, with a shrug, that she'd been through worse.

Kara must be winning, Alex though with a smirk. The figure that'd saved her—it had to be some kind of extension of Kara, some fragment of her mind reaching out to keep Alex alive.

Light glinted off Alex's hair as she began to walk collecting sharp rocks as she moved, all she had to do was stay alive a little longer.

Unfortunately, not a hundred steps later the distinct growl of the creatures she'd encountered earlier pierced the air. She rolled her eyes again and spun around, bracing for another fight.

"Just stay alive," she murmured, hoping that maybe this time experience would make her stronger.

/

On light feet, Kara rushed through the deserted halls of the high council. With each passing door the knot in her stomach grew tighter and tighter. Her stride increased, her steps quickened until she tore through the building, footsteps now loud and reverberating.

Tall white pillars blurred in the side of her visions, reflecting starlight from outer space.

Her lungs burned, her muscle ached in fatigue for one of the few times in her adult life. The colors of her surroundings were paling, she had to get to Alex, she had to get to Alex. The façade was broken now, her desperation seeping through every cell of her being like water on paper.

She forced herself to go faster, heels kicking, shoes squeaking. Beneath her, the ground quivered.

In the darkness, she fumbled with the door handled, arms straining as she yanked it open and the marble groaned in resistance. Kara scrambled to the podium, flipped open a small silver box and punched in the code.

A sigh of relief escaped her lungs as an affirmatory ring resounded through the air. Almost there. Almost there.

Kara stood, reached for the button, felt her fingers skim the surface, when a force knocked her to the ground.

The marble stung Kara's shoulder as she crashed down, opened her eyes to her mother's face with dark, inky orbs for eyes. Kara bit her lip and kicked free, thrashing with all her force. She escaped with a sharp elbow and slammed her hand onto the button, sending blue light radiating from the transporter.

The creature attached itself onto Kara's leg, its tortuous form morphing into its true dark and slimy parasitic figure. Kara dug her heel into its limb and the creature recoiled with a shriek that made Kara's ears ring.

She lunged into the light.

/

A sharp whimper escaped Alex's lips as she felt the bite of the ground. Again.

This time though, she rolled out of the way of the monster's next hit and its momentum carried the demon to the ground beside her. She slammed a rock into its head and scampered up. She was limping and bleeding but at least she was alive, she decided, as she turned around to block the kick of a humanoid-ish species with silvery skin and dark, maroon eyes. She really didn't know how anything survived a day in this hellish wasteland.

She dodged a second hit and watched as acid dripped from an alien's mouth and literally— _literally_ —burned the ground. Alex probably would have laughed at the cliché if it wasn't rapidly approaching and pushing her down.

Dirt caked her palms as she shoved herself upward again, doubling over when the first creature dragged a claw across her abdomen.

She let out a cry, collapsing forward at the same time a boom shook the atmosphere and the ground trembled and specks of navy blue were pulled from the sky, the surroundings beginning to blur like mixing paints.

Kara landed, ground crunching beneath her feet, her attention immediately drawn to a prisoner brawl just meters away.

Alex was pinned by a large creature, its weight pressing onto her chest. She wheezed, kicking in an attempt to free herself, but the alien was too big. Another being descended, bashing her head against the dirt. Growing desperate, she flailed as her breaths became quick and shallow, the ground shaking beneath her.

"Alex," Kara yelled, her voice like a light in the darkness.

"I'm over here," Alex called back. The softness of her voice was lost in the night air.

"Alex," Kara screamed again.

"I'm here," Alex breathed, "I'm right here." She groaned as she tried to slip from beneath the alien, its presence swallowing her body, crushing her into the dirt, making her injuries ooze blood.

Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment, the ground began to tear beneath them.

Alex heard the crack of skin to skin contact, forcing her eyes open and sputtering for air when the creature fell off of her. She squinted up, vision blurry, unable to make out the reason the alien had been pushed aside.

"I'm here," Alex yelled, her voice croaky and hoarse.

Kara's head snapped in her direction, sprinting to close the distance between them.

The delusions had been entirely shattered, the terrain shriveling beneath them, the dream-like scene nearly a bright white.

Kara dashed, ignoring the fire in her lungs. Mere seconds remained.

The cluster of aliens was too dense, she wasn't going to make it.

She was never going to make it. Her heart formed a lump in her throat.

"Stop!" A voice yelled in fluent Kryptonese, the timbre so warm and familiar Kara nearly paused.

The rest of the aliens froze, as though the voice possessed some reign over them. The ground splintered between the sisters, Kara dove across the gap as a whirling sound shrieked through the air. Her hands clasped around Alex, holding tight to the familiar skin. Alex's palms were cold and coated in a mix of blood and dirt, but Kara couldn't think of a time she'd been happier to feel them.

As the sisters swirled away Kara caught sight of the woman who produced the voice; the splitting image of her mother, but with a silver strand of curls. Astra.

Kara swore the woman gave a small smile, before the Danvers sisters disappeared from view and the universe was consumed by a blinding white light.

/

Kara's eyes shot open and she lurched upward, blinking rapidly as her vision scanned the room. Immediately, Winn was at her side, helping pull the oxygen mask from her head.

She sat up, gasping for breath, chest heaving. Her stomach dropped, the weight of the past events descending, the loss of her family once more burning raw and new through every fiber of her being.

Bile rose in her throat and she pressed her shaking hands against the examination table. After losing her mother, her father, the life she could never have all over again, she had almost lost Alex, and the realization came like a stab through her numbness.

She shifted her gaze, caught Alex's eyes from across the room.

The brunette moved over, closing the distance between them until they were mere inches away.

"Every time I think of my family, I see _them,"_ Kara whispered and only Alex could hear. "With black eyes and cold hands."

Alex didn't know what to say, so she wrapped Kara's hands in her own. "Okay," she said softly. "It'll change. It'll be okay."

"It feels like I just lost them again."

"I know," Alex said, holding Kara's gaze through watery eyes.

"And I almost lost you."

"But you didn't."

Alex patted Kara's thigh to pull the distant feature from her sister's gaze. "It's gonna be okay," Alex reassured, squeezing her sister's hand.

Kara took a deep breath as if to steel herself, and stood. "Who did this to me?" she asked, her voice stormy. Her gaze a fusion of anger and hurt.

"Non," Alex answered.

"Where is he?"


	22. Chapter 22 - Kara Sacrifices Herself

**A/N:** Thank you so much for all the reviews, follows, favorites, and reads. Just so you all know, the poll has finally been updated and is now ready for your votes! And, as always, feel free to send in more prompts.

The website has been sort of weird with reviews recently, so if I haven't responded to yours, I promise I'm trying and I'd like to say thank you SO much.

Special thanks to Cheshire Assasin for today's prompt. It will be split into two parts.

I wrote this chapter while listening to a few songs, I think they help set the tone, so, if you want to listen to them, here's what I've got... Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol, New York - Snow Patrol, The Greatest Bastard - Damien Rice, Song for Someone - U2, and literally any song off of Paul Travis' album 'Songs for Ruth' (it's such a gift of an album. I love it.)

Okay, okay, so... prompt: **Kara sacrifices herself to save Alex after she accidentally blew her powers trying to protect Alex and her adoptive mother, including Cat Grant and Winn or James or both**

Also, I apologize. This chapter made me really sad, too.

* * *

"When are you leaving to pick up Eliza from the airport?" Kara asks, throwing open the door to Alex's lab.

"About an hour and half," Alex answers and turns away from her cell culture to face the blonde. "Why?"

"The usual alien-terrorizing-civilians routine. I'll be quick, wait for me to leave, please?"

"Wouldn't you rather just fly over?"

"No radio in the sky," Kara says pointedly and grinning, leaning against the door frame. "And you know there isn't much I love more than car duets with you."

Alex cracks, letting a smile fall over her face. "All right, be safe."

"Always am," Kara says, swinging back around the doorframe and tossing a smirk over her shoulder. "See ya soon, sis."

"See ya," Alex calls to her sister's retreating form, blonde curls bouncing as she all but skips down the hall.

/

It all goes right until it starts to go wrong.

"Kara! I need intel," Alex prompts two hours later, running a hand through her hair.

She receives a huff in response and retracts as the noise meets her ear.

"The loudness was _not_ necessary, Kara," Alex mutters through her teeth, she looks out through the windows of the DEO, where night has fallen across the city.

"Yeah, sorry, kind of busy right now," Kara replies, zipping through the air to avoid an attack from her alien opponent. Sweat has gathered on her hairline, an ache spreading through her muscles.

"I'm sending back up. It might take a while though, with J'onn stuck on a separate mission, I'll contact him as soon as possible," Alex says into the comms, beginning to pace through the DEO.

"It's too late, Alex," Kara mutters and the brunette catches the fear lacing her words. "I'm having trouble containing the alien, it's strong and angry and it shoots bolts of electricity—like lighting, but arguably more powerful," Kara says, "I would know."

"Just stay calm. You got it, Supergirl."

"Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"I got grazed by a lightning strip and I think it has the ability to drain my powers. They're made of green kryptonite."

Alex rubs a hand across her forehead.

"It's moving toward the airport," Kara says. "Where Eliza is."

"I'll head over then, meet you there," Alex says. "Best of both worlds… we'll beat the alien _and_ pick up Mom on time," she jokes, hoping to tease the worry out of her sister's voice.

"Yeah," Kara says and air whooshes through her end of the earpiece as she slits through the sky, following the alien toward the airport.

Alex is already suiting up as she talks. "Be safe. I love you."

"I love you, too," Kara says before their communication clicks off.

/

They all arrive at the same time, with the moon shining in the sky and rain misting the air as thunder shakes in the distance.

DEO agents are working to evacuate the airport and as soon as Eliza gathers her luggage she pulls out her phone, eyes hovering over a single text sent by Alex just thirty seconds earlier.

 **'** **Alien threat contained.  
Kara in danger and hurt badly.  
I'm with her. Come to Parking Lot S immediately.'**

Eliza lets her luggage fall from her hand, lets her legs carry her through the airport she knows well after numerous visits to see both girls. She cannot afford to lose another person she loves; and she is reminded of the fact as she gets closer, until the nearly vacant parking lot is in view and she sees the crumbled red of Kara's cape illuminated by streetlights.

Her run turns to a sprint until the sisters take shape in front of her.

"Eliza," Kara says, making an attempt at smiling and sitting up, but she falls back against Alex's lap, a whimper escaping her lips and her hand creeping up to clutch her bloody abdomen, knocking Alex's hand along the way.

"Shh," Alex sooths, keeping pressure on Kara's wound and grabbing the searching hand with her own, squeezing it gently.

"Oh, Kara, sweetheart," Eliza breathes, pausing in front of the girls.

"Hi," Kara says. Her voice is weak and strained, her breathing labored. She's dying. Eliza knows the moment she arrives, sees those normally bright blue eyes are dull and full of pain. Eliza knows those eyes, has loved them from the first moment she saw them—young and lonely but so, so brave and so incredibly strong. Capable.

She's hugged Kara as those eyes cried and lifted Kara's small frame into the air as those eyes shone with jubilance.

"Mom," Alex hiccups and she stares up at Eliza, eyes watery and features frowning. Alex shakes her head and confirms what Eliza already knows. Kara isn't going to make it.

"What happened?" Eliza kneels to the ground beside them, running a hand over Kara's hair as rain begins to fall, harder-more violent and angrier than before.

"The alien was coming to the airport… toward your plane, toward Alex. He was going to kill you, I-I couldn't let that happen. So I—so I…" she breaks off, wincing in pain and Alex squeezed her tighter, wishing so hard she could fix it—fix the dulling of Kara's eyes, the paling of her skin, the blood seeping from her abdomen. All Kara can remember is a burst of pain spread through her body, and falling, falling, falling; Alex screaming; rain.

"It's okay," Alex says and Eliza takes Kara's open hand, running her thumb over the bruised skin.

"Kara took a bolt of green kryptonite from the alien, draining the creature of its strength so the DEO could detain it. But at the same time, Kara lost her own powers and was…" This time, Alex trails off, choking on a sob. Her tears drip into Kara's hair and turn the light hair dark.

"I got attacked before the alien got detained, then I fell, from the sky" Kara says through a grimace, a distance seeping into her slurred words. "And I'm going to die."

"There has to be something we can do!" Eliza cries and thunder cracks above them.

Alex's shoulders rise and fall in a hopeless shrug and her words tumble out in a rushed heap. "I'm doing everything I can, but the medical staff is too far away and they've sent a helicopter but everything's been slowed by the storm and there's so much blood."

It's then that Eliza notices the metal bar sticking through Kara's abdomen, the rubble pushed in her skin. A gasp catches on her lips, features sinking in defeat.

Kara fights the haziness pulling at her gaze to look at Eliza. "Thank you for taking me in and for raising me. It will always mean more than I can express. I love you," Kara says, tears pooling in her eyes.

Eliza clutches Kara's hand, kisses the girl's forehead. "I love you, too, sweet girl. I love you so much."

"And Alex," the blonde begins, but Alex interjects.

"No! You don't know that you're dying, you can't know for sure," Alex says through sobs. She is tired of being strong. She is tired of keeping it together.

"It's okay, Alex, you'll be fine. You need to live the life you could have had if I wasn't your sister, you need to go do all those things and more… Do fun things. Go to Paris and Rome and learn to play guitar again and be happy, okay? I just need to know that—that you're going to be happy…"

"I don't want to do any of those things without you," Alex cries. "I can't. I won't."

Kara reaches up, cold, bluing fingers brushing tears off Alex's warm cheeks. "Alex, I am not scared, I am going to the light of Rao, I will see my parents. And someday, I will see you again." Tears gather and fall from her eyes. "I will miss you more than I can ever say, but this not goodbye. It is never goodbye, I will always be with you. I will never leave you." She whispers her love for her sister in Kryptonese and Alex repeats the words back, through a lump in her throat.

"You have given so much to me," Kara says and her words are growing softer, slower. "Alex, I cannot thank you for everything you have done. You are the best sister I could have asked for. I—I—this is important, okay? You have to promise me you'll move forward."

Alex shakes her head, tears dripping from her eyes and down her cheeks. "I can't. Kar, you're my sister, I can't. I'm not giving up on you." And she's hit with a thousand memories, all piling up in her chest. Kara arriving, Kara's first day at school, looking at stars, teaching Kara how to punch and play football, sleepovers and movie marathons and secrets whispered through sleeping bags and messy hair. She closes her eyes and she can feel Kara's breath tickling her ear, their hands curled together, pupils wide and words honest in the dark.

"Alex," Kara pleads, fighting desperately against the heaviness pulling at her eyelids and fogging her brain. She just needs time. Just a little more time. She cannot—will not—leave this planet until she knows her sister will be okay. "Please, you have to promise you'll be okay."

"Okay," Alex breaks and presses her face into Kara's hair. "Okay, I promise."

She's seeing nerf wars and races and rough housing. She's seeing Kara in her doorway at three in the morning, tears on her cheeks and nightmare still swirling through her mind. She sees Kara tucked in her bed. Kara coming for advice about school and friends and boys and clothes and life and Earth. She sees her sister by her side, cheering the brunette on, through every meet, every game, every test, every step of her life for more than the past decade. How is she ever supposed to let that go?

"Thank you." Kara returns a weak squeeze to Alex's palm.

How is she ever supposed to survive?

The rotor of the DEO helicopter tears through the storming sky, its noise booming through the air.

All three women look up.

"They're here," Eliza says.

"It's okay!" Alex feels her heart leap in her chest, just as Kara's eyes fluttered open and closed, open and closed. She's fighting with everything she has left.

It's too late, Alex's heart screams. Her gut wrenches.

Kara's muttering something, but Alex can't hear over the roar of the helicopter.

These will be her last words. These will be her last breaths.

"I can't hear you," Alex cries. "I can't hear you," she whispers, her voice tortured with desperation as rain crashes from the sky and mangles the street and Kara's lips murmur and her lungs quiver and her eyes take in their last wavelength of color and her heart beats the pitter-patter of a last symphony of action potential and actin filaments and blood and air and life and breath.

Her eyes slip closed and she faints, falling limp onto Alex.

"I didn't know what you were saying, I didn't hear you," Alex sobs and her words blur together as thunder splits the sky and Kara's lungs heave one last breath and her azure lips tremble and part and close for the final time. Her heart beats, beats, beats and then, it doesn't.

Just like that, as the helicopter begins its struggle to land. No final declaration, no slowing of time, no indication that her last breath was any different than the thirty other strained inhales that had preceded it. Just the howl of wind and grating, strangling sobs inching their way out of Alex's throat and filling the night air; the night air newly void of Kara's presence.

Just there and gone.

The whole world feels empty. Alex has never felt so lonely.

She pulls her sister further into her lap, hugs the chilling, lifeless body to her chest.

The metal that gored Kara's body now presses against Alex.

It isn't fair. It is never fair.

Kara's blood soaks through Alex's shirt, her limp head falling forward onto Alex's shoulder and the brunette cradles it, clutches a fist around a lock of blonde waves, and lets her body be overcome with the anguish poisoning each cell.

A different kind of hole bores through Alex's chest, burning like the white flame of goodbye. A scorched Earth.

"I'm sorry," Alex murmurs, tears splattering into Kara's hair. "I'm so sorry."

Alex shifts her eyes up, makes contact with Eliza crouched across from her on the slick pavement, fingers wrapped around Kara's frigid palm. The hands that will never again be used to save or heal or paint or write. The hands Alex will never again get to feel hugging her close or touching her hair or wrapped around her fingers.

"She's gone, Mom," Alex whispers and Eliza already knows. "She's gone and I don't even k-know her last words. The last I said was 'I can't hear you' I didn't… I didn't even…" Alex dissolves and Eliza wraps her arms around the brunette, Kara cradled in between them as Eliza pulls both her daughters into one last hug. "I didn't even say goodbye."

"I'm going to call J'onn," Eliza says with the poise one gains from seeing death too much, but as she stands and steps away, a part of her heart is yanked and shattered.

"Kara," Alex breaths, pressing her forehead into the girl's hair. This can't be happening. It can't. It's a joke, it's a nightmare. It cannot be real. Her heart hammers in her chest and it is more painful than anything she has ever felt. "Come on, Kara, wake up. Wake up! You have to wake up!" Her lips murmur against Kara's head. "You have to! You can't leave me," she screams and her voice cracks, condemning her to silence as a sob chokes her throat. "Don't leave me," her lips cry into the vast darkness. "You swore you wouldn't leave me. When dad died you swore I wouldn't ever be alone and now I am."

War wages inside her head. Nothing will ever be the same.

 _Kara. Kara. Kara._ Alex's heart howls with every beat.

The world is breaking; the world is dark. Nothing will ever be the same.

 _Kara. Kara. Kara._

Alex leans back, just enough so she can gently push damp strands of blonde hair from Kara's forehead. Her fingers brush against her sister's skin, carefully, as though maybe Kara is just sleeping, just fragile and in need of protection.

But it's too late, and no one needs Alex's protection anymore, because her little sister is gone.

Alex cups Kara's face in her hands. She's never been good at saying goodbye.

The blonde slips from Alex's arms as the power of each sob wracks the agent's body and other DEO specialists emerge from the shadows, silently pulling Kara away.

"No!" Alex yelps, but the space her sister had filled is already empty and she slams her fists against the pavement— _Kara. Kara. Kara.—_ over and over and over again, until her own blood mingles with her sister's.

Alex continues the motion, slamming and sobbing until strong arms gather her up and pull her away. Through blurry, watery vision she makes out J'onn's features, watches as Supergirl is loaded into a black van, her last touch with starlight severed.

Alex beats her bloodied bruised fists against J'onn's chest, her skin a mix of purple and crimson as she fights. Fights time, fights death, fights life.

Kara was not supposed to die first. It was always supposed to be me, Alex thinks.

She screams and shoves until she loses her voice and falls brokenly in the Martian's arms, fatigue making her limbs weak. He holds her up, hugs her close as tears soak his shirt and Eliza follows Kara's lifeless body into the vehicle.

Nothing will ever be the same.

Alex stands, soaked by blood and storm, and just like her sister, is swallowed by the night.


	23. Chapter 23- Kara Sacrifices Self (Part2)

**A/N:** Thank you so much for all your reviews, favorites, follows, and reads! The response on the last chapter was so nice and so enthusiastic. It really means a lot. I sacrificed watching Supergirl tonight so I could this chapter out for you guys because I'm so excited about it.

To the guest reviewer, Supergirl, there's already a chapter about Alex and Kara post-fight in episode 20, it's chapter 19 if you want to check it out. :)

I'll be using the poll for the next chapter, so feel free to keep voting!

Thanks again to Chesire Assasian for today's prompt.

Some additional songs for this chapter, if you want to listen, are Already Gone - Sleeping At Last, For Good - Wicked (musical) , You Learn to Live Without (also from a musical- I can't help it, I love theater) - If/Then, When I Look to the Sky - Train, Always Remember - Train, Wings - Birdy, and anything that I listed on the last chapter. :)

Okay, I'm done and also I apologize again for the sadness this chapter may evoke. Next update, I'll try to pick something happy.

* * *

She will never forget the moment she finds out. Hands hovering over the phone, bag poised on her shoulder, ready to go for the night. She's about to leave, a sigh of relief slipping from her lungs at the thought of finally going home. Then the phone rings.

She almost doesn't pick it up.

But she does, because the phone gets louder and suddenly, in a splinter of a second, the whole world is silent.

Supergirl is dead.

She wants to believe it's a lie but all throughout the night the calls roll in, the witness reports, the grainy cell phone images and low pixel videos.

Cat wants to cry. Instead, she does what she's always done.

She writes and she reports.

She steels herself and focuses on briefing facts and making statements, appearing on air numerous times throughout the night.

The news continues to pile. She bites her bottom lip to keep it from quivering as the sun pulls night out of the sky and morning only shines light on the harshness of reality.

She's on her way from one work room to another somewhere around nine in the morning, running on no sleep, feeling sharp and close to cracking because Supergirl is dead and Kara _still_ isn't there and _still_ hasn't answered Cat's calls and the older woman has never wanted to be more wrong about anything in her life. Her phone's been ringing all morning and it's ringing again.

She looks down, icy words already poised on her lips, when the name flashing across the screen immediately makes her soften.

Kara.

Cat feels every particle of her being lighten with relief. She closes her eyes and a smile falls across her lips as she pauses her walk, head tilting back against the wall.

She swipes to answer the call. "Kara, you have no idea how glad I am to see your name flashing across my screen." Honesty pushes through her usual curtness.

There's a soft sniffle on the other end of the call and Cat feels dread seep back into her bones. "She would have wanted you to know. She wanted you to know the truth," a voice says, soft and raw and broken.

It's all Cat needs to confirm her suspicions. It feels like she has had the wind knocked out of her.

There's a crackling sound, a bit of a rustle, a struggle and the distant scream of "What does it matter? She's dead now," the voice is biting and Cat can practically feel the hurt radiating through each vibration. "You know Kara wanted her to know the truth. She admired her."

There's more whooshing and arguing but it's too far away for Cat to make out the words. She recognizes something in the pained voice, believes it. Then the line is decimated.

Cat stands frozen in the hall. Her hands shake for the first time in years, before she even has time to process the words completely her phone is buzzing again. She wants to throw it down the hall but the name catches her attention for a million different reasons.

Carter.

Her fingers can't swipe fast enough. "Hi, baby," she says through the phone.

"Mom?" he says and she can hear the tears in his voice. "Is it true? Is she really dead?"

She rubs a hand across her forehead. "Yes," Cat manages, words cracking. She's always believed bad news is best straight-up. She slips into a supply closet, locks the door and leans against the frame. Cat Grant feels small. Cat Grant has not felt small since she was a kid, cowering beneath the weight of her mother's criticism.

"What are we gonna do?" Carter asks.

"I don't know," Cat whispers. Tears slide down her cheeks, she bunches up her hair in her hands. Cat Grant does not do tears, does not do broken; but Cat Grant also knows that some people are worth crying over.

/

Winn doesn't come in to work. Since eleven the previous night, when the news broke, he hasn't been able to pull himself from the tv and he hasn't been able to reach Alex or anyone at the DEO. He just watches as the news loops and loops and all the reports say the same thing: Supergirl is dead.

In his hands rests the fabric for Supergirl's new suit. His foot shakes and his eyes water and he can't imagine a life without his best friend.

He stands, rubs a hand over his face, grabs his car keys, and goes.

His intent is to leave everything behind, but instead, an hour and a half later, he pulls into the dirt parking lot of the DEO.

The sound of yelling reaches his car before he even opens the door, but when he does he sees Alex yelling at J'onn and Eliza. He makes out something about burying Kara and feels his heart lurch.

"Alex, wait!" Eliza calls, and wraps a gentle hand around Alex's wrist, but the brunette rips her hand away like the touch burns.

"Forget it," Alex says and turns her back on the pair and disappears into her car.

Winn stands helpless under the weight of Kara's death as the sound of Alex's door banging shakes the air and the three of them stand watching, as tears spill from Alex's eyes and run down her cheeks, splashing her jeans before she slams the steering wheel with her fist and drives off. Dust rises behind her wheels like a ghost in the morning light.

It's the last time they see her cry

.

Instead, she cries at night, into her pillow; and she curves a bundle of sheets around her fist and presses it against her mouth so the neighbors won't hear the strangled, screaming sobs that heave their way out of her lungs and spill out into the shrieking night. Sometimes she cries so hard she can't breathe, she gags, she coughs, she squeezes her eyes closed, digs her nails into her palms and wonders how much longer this can possibly go on. Sometimes, through her sobs, she whimpers Kara's name over and over again. _Kara, Kara, Kara._ Like it's an extra heartbeat, like it's the only word her brain knows.

 _Kara. Kara. Kara._ Sweet, beautiful, brave Kara. And every time, there's an infinity of memories attached to the name; they all hit her and she feels both suffocated and freed at the same time.

To think of Kara is both heaven and hell.

Alex is constantly straining—constantly reaching—into the depths of her cracked and shattered memory for Kara's last words, but all she can ever come up with is thunder and pain and screaming.

Alex is drowning. Alex is burning. Alex reaches for the bottle again and tilts her head back.

/

A week after it happens they plan to send her out into the sky. It doesn't seem fair to keep Kara tethered to Earth, tethered to one planet when there is so much of herself, of her family spread out through the universe. It breaks Alex's heart, because what is life on Earth, to her, if Kara isn't there to share it?

They all stand there—Alex, Eliza, Hank, James, Winn, and so many other people all changed for the better, because a little blonde alien fell from the sky one sunny afternoon—and wait for the rain to clear. Cat is there, too, broadcasting the ceremony and uniting the world in the sorrow they all share. The storm is relentless, crackling and booming as if the soils and skies of the earth are mourning the loss of Supergirl, too.

When the rain finally stills enough to launch the pod, Alex feels ice flow through her veins and break the numbness she has worn like a mask.

"Mom," she says, voice sharp and urgent like it's dangling on the edge of a cliff. "We can't do this." She shakes her head and her heart is louder than the storm raging among the stars and tears are lacing her words, but she blinks and they vanish with the next deep breath and everything is just falling down and crashing and all she can see is a thirteen year old Kara. "We can't send her away from another planet, from another family. _It's_ not fair… I'm not abandoning her. She can't be abandoned, Mom; not again. Not by us. We made a promise— _I_ made a promise."

Eliza nods and wraps an arm around Alex, pulling the brunette against her. Alex presses her face into her mother's shoulder, so no one can see her tears as Supergirl is lowered back to Earth.

/

Another week passes for Alex, some mix of crying through the night—and slamming her fist against pillows and squeezing sheets between her fingers until her skin is raw and her eyes burn—and waking every morning to pretend like it never happened, to go through the motions of each day with so much precision, so much focus on _not_ thinking about Kara, that everyone around Alex is both impressed and concerned with the amount of stability she seems to exert.

So she continues her façade—her dance—and is torn by the guilt of acting like Kara never existed. But damn it, she'll take guilt over the burning, white pain of losing her sister, that scorches each cell. Every moment brings thought of Kara, and Alex finds herself fighting each second just to stay afloat and keep her chin above the toxic, murky waters of memory.

But the rapids rise and she finds her head submerged and she wants to drink herself into oblivion, but every time she looks at alcohol she starts to hear Kara's sweet voice in her head and Alex cannot bear to let her sister down one more time. So that night, with shaking hands and tired muscles the brunette pours all the alcohol down her kitchen sink and sits on the floor with Kara's apartment key in her palm, she runs it over her hand until the skin turns pink and knows she'll have to go there eventually.

/

One night, exactly six days later, Alex gets in her car and drives, because she needs to get away from the apartment that feels too empty, too quiet. Needs to get away from her apartment where Kara is no longer under blankets and curled on the couch or dancing in the kitchen or throwing popcorn at Alex during movie marathons; and so Alex stumbles into CatCo more than half a mess in her grief.

It's late, and the moon is hanging high in the sky, leaking white into the darkness. Kara's floor is void of activity, the desks lacking people, the hall lacking noise. Alex breathes in the silence, imagines Kara following the same path from the elevator to her desk—Alex's intended destination.

She sinks into Kara's chair with a sigh and can still smell the faint scent of her sister's perfume. Alex closes her eyes and allows herself just one moment of memory, but it's overwhelming, it's too heavy and she shoots out of the chair.

Alex runs her hands over the desk and before she can even think she's throwing open the drawers, her hands desperate, in search of something she will never reach.

She sifts through the drawers, spilling highlighters and pens and blue paperclips Alex remembers Kara buying. There are pictures and little trinkets, like a small moose from the lake house they visited every other summer and a metal turtle from a spring trip to Florida, and each time Alex finds them, she treats them as though they are gold, easing them out of the madness that has erupted around her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Alex looks up, and upon seeing the young woman's face Cat puts the connection together, runs through her mind all the previous encounters with the brunette. Agent Danvers is Alex: Alex is Kara's sister. _Oh._ It hurts like a pick in her heart.

"Her desk is still here." Alex looks Cat in the eyes. "Her desk is still here and no one's touched it."

Cat shrugs and walks over to take a seat across from the desk. "Some things are hard to let go of."

Alex nods with an understanding she shouldn't have. As she begins to speak, her gaze shifts down and her fingers rotate the little turtle in her hands, over and over, feeling each corner and curve. "Today… Today is her landing day. You know, when she came _here._ " If Kara trusted Cat, then Alex trusts her, too, and somehow it makes her feel closer to her sister.

Cat nods. "She always spoke highly of you."

Alex gives a watery smile. "Yeah, well, she spoke highly of you, too."

"I always had a feeling she was Supergirl," Cat says, lowering her voice.

"She wanted to tell you."

"It was you on the phone that day?"

Alex nods and swallows a lump in her throat. She hasn't talked to anyone about Kara's death and suddenly she feels all the words piling up on the tip of her tongue.

"Supergirl will certainly be missed. She was really special."

A long, shuddery breath shakes Alex's ribs and Cat is instantly hit with the feeling that she has said something wrong.

Alex rotates in Kara's seat, toeing the ground beneath her. "Everyone always says that." She heaves a heavy sigh. "They always talk about Supergirl, but nobody ever talks about Kara," Alex says and her voice cracks. She doesn't know why she's sharing this with a stranger, but she can't stop. Her bottom lip quivers and she pulls it between her teeth as her eyes water. "I loved—I love— _Kara_ , I miss _Kara._ But no one else does. They all see Supergirl and it's not-" she swallows and Cat watches as the brunette's shoulders shake. "It's not fair."

Alex hiccups and wipes her cheeks and as this steely woman falls apart, Cat knows that more than anything, Kara would have wanted the older woman to look after the agent. Cat owes that much to Kara after everything the late superhero did for her.

"I'm sorry," Alex murmurs. "I'm not usually like this… It's just—we usually spend this day together, but now she's gone and I… I feel like I'm all alone." Alex shrugs and drags another hand across her face. "I miss her."

"I miss her, too," Cat says, standing and pulling Alex into a hug. Two people bound by some combination of tragedy and luck, for having shared Kara's presence for as long as they did.

Alex let's her face fall against Cat's shoulder. She has never been so vulnerable in her life. There is a painful tug always, constantly, persistently yanking in her chest and she fears that it won't ever go away.

"I miss Kara," Cat specifies and Alex nods. Everything is broken.

"I know," the brunette manages between sobs. "I was supposed to protect her. I was supposed to keep her safe."

Cat rubs the stranger's shoulders, holds her tighter. "Your sister loved you so much."

"I didn't hear her last words," Alex says and looks up. "She was dying and the thunder was too loud and I didn't hear what she said. I will never know what she said."

It's impossible to respond to that. The two women stand, showered in moonlight and grief.

/

Alex storms into Kara's apartment a month after the blonde's passing and the agent is so impossibly angry. A path of red and scorching flame trails behind her as she slams the door and enters her sister's apartment for the first time since Kara died.

"Damn it, Kara! Why'd you have to leave?" Alex yells into the emptiness. Her voice echoes back.

It's three in the morning and Alex's eyes are red and her hands are shaking and she can hardly control the upheaval of emotions swirling inside her like a hurricane. She is buzzing with energy, trembling with sadness. Everything is too much. It's too much and nobody ever notices.

She kicks Kara's couch and appreciates the way the pain pulsates from her foot up her leg. Anything hurts less than the gaping void she feels every time she breathes. She knocks a mug off the counter, and hates the way it makes her think of Kara's heat vision.

Alex screams into a pillow then heaves it across the room so it hits the wall and falls with a thump. Then she yanks a book off the shelf and throws it across the apartment, flinging it with all her might.

It collides with a small ceramic bowl, with little green beads and red glitter and gold Christmas trees drawn in metallic sharpie, sends the object off the counter and onto the ground.

Alex freezes. She and Kara made that bowl together, on their first Christmas together, after they'd fallen asleep on the couch, leaning on each other for the first time in their young lives. They swore it would never be broken and despite its overt Christmas theme, Kara refused to ever put it away.

A sob works its way into Alex's throat and a hand rises to cover her mouth. She runs a worried finger against her lip. Her eyes are wide as she rushes over and sinks to the ground, a pile of shattered glass in festive hues scattered all over the floor and pulling blood from her uncovered skin.

"I'm sorry," Alex cries and the walls of the house seem to echo in reply. _I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

Her head falls into her hands, fall into the knees pulled against her chest. Everything is broken. Nothing will ever be the same. She is so sorry. She is so sorry she can hardly breathe.

With tear blurred vision and limp legs Alex pulls Kara's favorite sweater out of her closet and collapses into the bed, with the fabric pulled up to her nose. She wants to remember everything, she wants to remember everything even though it hurts more than anything she'd ever imagined.

Her eyes slip closed and she breathes easy for the first time since Kara died. "I love you," she whispers and the walls whisper back. _I love you. I love you. I love you._

Dream is a montage of Kara, an ode to her sister and then come the long sought words. " _The third drawer from the top on the left side of my dresser. Open it, when you go home. I love… I love y-"_

Alex's eyes shoot open, her body lurches up so that the sheets pool at her waist, and she knows—she just _knows—_ that sleep has brought her Kara's last words.

The brunette scrambles out of bed with a feverish passion, her feet skim the floor as she rushes to Kara's dresser, pulls on the lights as she passes, and throws open the drawer. Inside there's a small purple shoe box, Alex pulls it out and gently tugs off the top.

Her heart thunders will love when she looks inside. She shuffles past a stack of envelopes each with a name on the top written in Kara's neat, swirly text. _Eliza. Jerimiah. Winn. James. Lucy. J'onn. Cat. Carter._ And then, there's a pile just for Alex and the deeper she gets the less neat the handwriting comes, until it resembles Kara's script when she just landed on Earth and it's dated with Kara's landing date, years and years ago.

Alex's hand covers her mouth and salty tears drip from her eyes onto her fingers before they splatter onto the floor. Among the first letter are movie tickets and friendship bracelets and pictures; and Kara's been keeping this box since she first arrived.

Alex's picks up an envelope with a date just a few months prior, in small little writing it says "This one first." So Alex eases the envelope open with delicate fingers and her breath is caught in her throat.

' _Alex,  
If you're reading this, then, well… You know what happened. Before I say anything else, I want to say one more thing as much as I can. I love you, I love you, I love you. You are the best sister I could have ever wanted, you are the best thing that exists in my life and I am forever grateful._

 _Do you remember when you took me to my first Earth movie? It was Freaky Friday. I still have the ticket. Is that weird? I hope you don't think it's weird.'_

Alex laughed and sobbed at the same time.

 _'It's just that it meant so much to me, to have you on my side. It meant so much to finally have a sister and a best friend. I love you more than all the universe combined and I need you to know that I still love you. Even when I'm gone—even that I_ am _gone—I still love you; and I am always, always with you. You are never alone because sisters are forever and I am forever your sister.'_


	24. Chapter 24-J'onn Accidentally Hurts Alex

**A/N:** Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the sweetest and enthusiasm you show me-all the reviews, favorites, follows, and reads are SO appreciated. After the emotional trauma of the last two chapters I have something short and (hopefully) sweet for you. I would love to go crazy with sister fluff and happiness in the next update after everything I've put you through, so head over to the (finally updated) poll and let me know which prompt you want to read. :) If by chance I accidentally left your prompt off the poll just let me know, and, of course, feel free to submit new suggestions if you would like.

To the guests that left such kind reviews on the last chapter, thank you so, so, SO much.

Also, big thanks to Brittany for submitting today's prompt: **J'onn accidentally hurts Alex in training pretty badly and Kara gets angry**

I'd love to hear what you think!

* * *

"It's not that bad."

"Not that bad? Alex! Your leg is _broken_ and—oh my god, are you crying? You're _crying_. _"_ Kara brought a hand to her forehead.

"Could be worse," the agent replied with a shrug that didn't quite hide her grimace or the salty tears pooling in her eyes. Her back was pressed against the floor, her brown hair scrunched beneath her. J'onn was kneeling at her side, shoulders slumped, eyes examining her form.

Training had been going well—or at least Alex's definition of well, with her breath ragged and her muscles burning. She and J'onn's transition into sparring had been welcomed. She'd felt springy and quick on her feet until J'onn had kicked with too much force and she'd taken an unexpected turn, so they collided with full force. His boot meet her thigh and she immediately felt a sharp stab spread like burning flame. She hit the ground before she could register anything but pain. All the angles, all the forces were wrong.

Apparently the snapping of Alex's femur spiked something in Kara's superhearing because the blonde had appeared before J'onn even got to apologize for the third time.

"I can actually see the fracture in your femur and I did hear it snap by the way," Kara said and made her way further into the training room, hand poised on her hip and cape fluttering behind her as she closed the distance. Alex turned her head and laughed softly at Kara's exasperated sigh, watching as the blonde rubbed a hand across her face.

Kara's eyes shot open. "Alex, Rao help me if you are laughing right now. Your bone has a crack in it. Your _bone_ is in two pieces."

"Please don't remind me," Alex hissed and pushed off the sweat gathering at her hairline. The pain was radiating through her leg, fiery and hot. It almost made her want to throw up.

As Kara rolled her eyes and shook her head she took a step over, gaze now fixed on J'onn. "And _you,_ you are the one that let this happen. You're supposed to be careful with her, you're supposed to protect her."

"Kara, it was an accident-" Alex tried, but Kara cut her off.

"You know she always goes harder than she should and you know she's not like us, you know it's our responsibility to be cautious." Kara paced across the floor, steps echoing and bouncing off the walls. She was always haunted by the fragility of human life; always tormented by the delicateness of their bones and the weakness of their immune systems, their skin, their hearts. It was too easy to spill blood or puncture lungs; to crack or twist or pull. It was too probable that every human Kara loved would slip between her fingers.

J'onn nodded. "I'm truly sorry, it was an accident and I should have been more mindful."

" _We_ should have been more mindful," Alex corrected. Her voice was strained and breathy. The timbre immediately rung through Kara's ears and filled her with worry.

"I can't argue with that, you both need to be way more careful. Have either of you contacted medics, yet?" Kara asked, brows raised.

"I'll go now," J'onn said, putting a hand on Alex's shoulder before standing. "I really am sorry, Alex."

"It's okay," she said and shook her head, watching as he left.

As soon as the door closed and the sound thumped through the room, Kara turned to Alex. "You don't have to hold it in anymore."

Alex nodded and a sob choked its way through her throat, she squeezed her eyes closed and large tears fell from the corners and dotted the metal ground. Her shoulders shook, she pushed her head against the ground, her hair knotting, hand raising to press her forehead.

"How bad does it hurt?" Kara asked and knelt beside her sister.

"A shit ton."

"Take my hand, you can squeeze it as hard as you need," Kara said. She tapped her hand against Alex's and the brunette reached for it, without opening her eyes, curled her fingers around Kara's palm and squeezed.

Kara slumped against the floor, felt pressure from Alex's hand spread through her palm. "Does it hurt more than that hang over you got your junior year of college?"

Alex nodded.

"Hmmm." Kara ran a hand through Alex's hair. "What about the concussion you got in high school?"

"Still worse."

"Broken collar bone?"

"Hurts more."

Kara pursed her lips. "When that bullet grazed your arm last year?"

Alex shook her head.

Silence spread between them. The seconds were heavy, the air thick.

"Ohh! I've got one," Kara said. "How about the one time you got your ass handed to you when you challenged me to a game of Monopoly?"

Alex cracked her eyes open and let out a watery laugh. The blonde felt her heart swell at the sight of her sister acting a little more like herself. "We swore we wouldn't talk about that."

Kara grinned and returned a gentle squeeze to Alex's hand, swinging it lightly. "Sorry."

"My pride is still wounded," the brunette joked. "I'll never recover," she said through little hiccups for breath, but her statement was punctuated with a hiss and a groan as her laugh jolted her body and shook her leg. "Damn," she muttered and immediately twisted back.

The motion sobered Kara and she kissed Alex's shaking, squeezing hand. "It's okay, sis. You're going to be fine."

"I'm sorry," Alex murmured through more tears. "About earlier."

Kara shook her head. "I was just scared. I can't help it."

"I know," Alex said.

"You're so fragile—" the agent huffed in protest "—Oh, you know what I mean," Kara said. "I could lose you so easily, and then what would I do?"

"You would survive," Alex muttered through gasps, her voice quiet. "Just like you always do."

Kara closed her eyes, pressed her face against Alex's hand, ran a hand along the brunette's sweat soaked hair; and as the medics flooded the room and Alex complained about having to use a stretcher the words fell from Kara's mouth. "I wouldn't want to."


	25. Chapter 25 - Alex Hurt (Part 2)

**A/N:** Thanks as always for all the favorites, follows, reviews, and reads! I received a request from slexieotpforever for a second part to chapter 24, so here it is. I hope you enjoy it.

Let me know your thoughts!

Okay, warning, before I carry on in this author's note, things are going to get a little political in the following sentences. If that's not your thing feel free to carry on and jump to the chapter. If you're still reading, here it goes. I'm disappointed, disgusted, and devastated by the actions of my country, if you are any of the people feeling upset or unsafe or uncared for as a result of the recent election, I want you to know I'm sending my love and I am here if you need to talk. I know it's not much, but I'm doing everything I can-small and big. You are not alone. xx Quinn

* * *

Alex sent a quick text to her mom, fingers moving sleepily across the phone.— _I'm fine. Kara's fine. Everyone's fine. It was just a small accident—_ because of course the blonde little alien _had_ to send Eliza a text while Alex was in surgery. Alex rolled her eyes and removed her other hand from beneath the white hospital sheets of the DEO. She looked at her sister; Kara's head was on the mattress, face pressed against a blanket, blonde hair gathered and tumbling down her back.

Alex felt her lips pull down and she ran a gentle hand through Kara's hair, twirling the locks around her finger when the door to the room opened.

She looked up, expecting another medic with more questions and tests, but instead saw J'onn.

"Hey," she said softly, making an attempt to sit up, but her muscles ached and the pain burned and nothing seemed to be working so she eased herself back against the pillow and shot him a soft smile.

"Hi," J'onn said and took a seat beside the bed. "I heard surgery went well."

Alex nodded. "Couple of plates, some screws… you know, the usual," she teased, hoping to placate the guilt and worry etched across his facial features.

"I've heard that post-op medicine can make you feel like crap though."

"Can confirm." Alex answered and let her eyes drift down to Kara, where the blonde stirred slightly. "But don't tell Kara."

"How's she doing?" J'onn asked, tilting his head toward the younger Danvers.

"She's okay," Alex said, moving her hand to rub Kara's back. "She was worried, but she'll be fine."

J'onn nodded. "How about you?"

"Doctor said with good physical therapy I could be back in shape within a few months."

"I'm so sorry about this," J'onn said and ran a hand across his face. "Really, it's my fault I should have been more careful, I should have—"

"It was an accident…"

"No, I mean—yes, but it shouldn't have happened. It's my responsibility, it's what I promised your dad. And I—"

"J'onn," Alex interrupted and put her hand on top of his. "Do you know how many times Kara accidently hurt me when we were growing up? A lot. Broken bones, sprains, stitches… I've had 'em all, multiple times, and every night after these kinds of things happened I would hear Kara crying herself to sleep after my mom made her go to bed. So I'd sneak out of my room and hobble down the hall until I reached my sister and climbed onto her bed, and right now, I'm going to tell you the same thing I always told her, okay?"

J'onn nodded and kept his eyes adverted to the ground.

"It's worth it. You are worth it, both of you. I would take scrapes and cuts and bruises and any of this to keep you in my life."

J'onn looked up. "Thank you."

Alex gave a lazy shrug and sunk deeper into her pillow, retracting her hand and curling beneath the sheets. "It's true."

"I know I didn't know your dad for long, but he would have been proud of you. Your heart is just like his."

Soft blush rose across Alex's cheeks and a smile flittered across her tired lips. She missed her dad every day and as painful as talking about him could be sometimes, it also made her feel a little closer to him, like he wasn't so far away—like time hadn't stretched and faded the memories she clung to.

J'onn's walkie talkie crackled and he stood, the chair grating against the ground. "I have to go, you should get some rest," he said, taping her shoulder gently. "And again, I'm sorry."

"If I have to hear you apologize one more time, I'll kick your ass when I get out of here," Alex said, a sleepy grin raising her cheeks.

"Yeah, okay, Danvers. Good luck with that," J'onn said, returning her smile and disappearing from the room. The door swung slowly behind him, echoing softly through the area. She curled her hand back around Kara's, wanting to feel the softness and warmth now that she was alone.

Just as Alex let her eyes close and her surroundings began to fade she felt Kara's hand move, heard her sister murmur quietly and straighten up.

Alex opened her eyes, watched as Kara stretched and rubbed a loose fist across her face.

"Hey sleepyhead," the brunette said softly.

"Hey yourself," Kara said. "These beds suck."

"Yeah, well that's because you're half on the bed, half on that chair. Get up here," Alex motioned, sliding over as best she could.

Kara climbed onto the bed, carefully fitting herself against her big sister. "How are you feeling?"

"Absolutely wonderful… really strong painkillers they've got here."

"You should sleep," Kara said, flicking on her phone. "It's almost three in the morning."

"You should sleep, too."

"I will if you will."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Kara," she said quietly, unable to avoid the lure of fatigue softening her voice and pulling her eyes closed. "I don't want you to ever feel guilty because you accidently hurt me. I can't imagine how hard it must be to constantly hold back and concentrate on everything you do."

"It's not so bad," Kara said and let her eyes close, too. "You get used to it."

"I wish you didn't have to. I think it'd be difficult to be an alien and always have that kind of stuff on your mind."

The blonde shrugged, hair bunching between her shoulder and Alex's arm. "Most of the time I've got it down so I barely consider it, I only really have to think about it sometimes when I hug you or we're snuggled on the couch for movie nights and I'm so tired that I forget a little."

"Don't feel bad about it," Alex muttered. "You aliens get to mess up sometimes, too."

"When we mess up, bad things happen," Kara murmured, feeling guilty as she curled into Alex.

"Nothing we can't fix," Alex whispered as she fell asleep, hand tangled in Kara's hair with the blonde tucked against her shoulder. "I promise."


	26. Chapter 26 - Kara Comes Back to Life

**A/N:** I think many of you are going to be _very_ happy with the prompt that won for today's chapter. :) It was requested by yasminimonteiro and many others. I deviated a bit from the actual prompt, but I think it went pretty well-let me know what you all think!

Also, the poll has been updated.

Thank you so much for all your support. For those who celebrate, I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving; for those who don't celebrate I hope you had a lovely Thursday. :p Also... happy (almost!) four days of crossovers. I'm SO excited.

Prompt: **In reference to chapters 22/23, Kara comes back to life.**

* * *

She drags a pen mark across the envelope of a letter from her sister. Another tally. Another day without Kara.

223 days to be exact.

Alex drops into her bed and curls onto her side, stomach sinking, shoulders heaving. She doesn't want to cry, she doesn't want to _feel_ anymore. Christmas lights reflect in her window, and outside icy rain sloshes in the streets. She squeezes a pillow against her body and presses a blanket to her face so the fabric catches her tears and grows damp beneath her touch.

 _Kara. Kara. Kara._

The repetition in her head never stops. Time passes and she watches as the alarm clock by her bed ticks minutes away and sobs rack her body. Her frame quivers, her lungs pitter aching, violent breaths that scream out against the silence.

 _K_ ara. _Kara. Kara._

 _I miss you. I miss you. I miss you._

 _I love you. I love you. I love you._

Nothing's okay. It is never okay. Her diaphragm rises and falls; rises and falls in rapid succession. She coughs, sobbing so hard she thinks she might make herself sick.

God when does the pain ever stop? When does it end?  
She doesn't know if she wants it to—doesn't know if living a life without Kara's absence tearing her apart is okay. Guilt swells in her stomach and anguish balloons in her chest and it feels like everything is over.

Everything _is_ over.

Her shrieking tears are swallowed by the expanse of the night.

For the months following Kara's death, Alex was imprisoned in a hellish cycle, managing just barely to get though the day without breaking down. Then, when day turned to night she smuggled her feelings in clubs. She wanted to drink but didn't, instead allowing herself to be intoxicated by the thick air and sea of warm, fevered bodies clashing against hers. She liked when the music was so loud she couldn't hear her own thoughts; and when the clubs closed Alex stumbled home and cried herself to sleep amongst smoky sheets and empty apartments. She woke mere hours later and subjected her body to physical training so intense the ache in her muscles almost— _almost_ —dampened the pain stripping her down to flesh and bone.

But it wasn't sustainable, and now Alex gets by, reclaims her life piece by piece, simply by putting one foot in foot of the other—because she has to, because it's what Kara would have wanted. So her work days are long and less exciting, but she fights with a new fire, a new painful desperation that propels her forward even though she doesn't have a sister to come home to each night. Movie nights and game nights fade away and it's okay (even though it's not) because it has to be and life doesn't stop and nobody ever really gets a choice anyway.

Alex sees Kara in the night sky and in stars. When it's dark and late and Alex is in her apartment she mistakes a lone footstep, a blowing curtain for the blonde. The agent closes her eyes and freezes; she has to remind herself that Kara is gone. And when the brunette sees a brownie recipe or a cute dog picture on Facebook, sometimes her fingers send it to Kara before her brain can catch up and stop her.

She waits hours for a reply that will never come.

Sometimes she calls Kara's phone just to hear her voice and sometimes Alex hangs up before she even reaches the second ring.

Kara's apartment is still intact—still a near perfect replica of the state it was on Kara's last day. Alex can't bring herself to call a realtor.

Other times everything feels so distant that Alex needs Kara's memory to bring her back, needs to fill the gaping hole in her chest even if it only causes more pain, just like in this moment. Alex uncurls herself, slowly, painfully, from beneath the barricade of blankets gathered like a nest on her bed. She fumbles in the darkness until her fingers collide with her lamp and she flicks on the lights.

She feels as though she must do _something._ The thought of another minute spent drowning in sobs is unbearable, so she slides off the mattress, presses her feet against the cold wood tile, and stumbles toward her dresser. As she tugs Kara's old sweater over her head she catches a glimpse of her face, staring back from the mirror. Her skin is wet, soaked with tears. The dampness flows from her cheeks to the tip of her nose to her jaw where the tear drops _drip, drip, drip_ onto the floor; and her eyes look tired and dull, the surrounding skin red and puffy. She sniffles and turns away, shoving her feet into boots and grabbing her keys.

Snow coats the streets outside and as Alex walks she sees Christmas trees speckling windows and hears the distant sound of singing. She has never been religious, but Christmas was always special in her family, when it was the four of them together. Even when Jerimiah died and it was just three of them they celebrated love and family together. It was one of Kara's favorite Earth traditions. But now they're down to two Danvers and Alex is tired of surviving, tired of being alone. Her boots sludge holes in the wet snow, leaving a trail behind her as she enters the concrete parking garage and abandons Christmas lights and Hanukkah menorahs and families gathered in living rooms.

Her fingers are numb as she opens the door to her car and struggles to start the engine, fumbling with the keys until it finally buzzes with life. She navigates out of the garage and down snowy streets through teary vision and pain in her chest. It's a little after two in the morning when she pulls into the cemetery, gravel crunching and trees rustling. Supergirl is 'buried' under her own monument in the middle of National City, but only a small group of people know that Kara Danvers truly rests in a small cemetery on the outskirts of the city, with lots of trees and hills and flowers.

Alex lets her legs carry her down the winding path toward Kara's gravestone and it's nearly a half mile later that she moves off the trail and drags herself through browning, frosty grass until she's kneeling in front of a slab of marble with her sister's name carved into it.

Once Alex is there, with rain soaking her sweater and heart thundering in her chest, she's not sure what to do. Usually when she visits Kara's grave, Alex talks to her, but today the words are stuck in her throat and she's just tired and miserable and she wants her sister more than anything; so Alex sits there, twisting dead grass around her fingers and letting tears fall until she thinks there aren't anymore.

"I miss you," she whispers and shifts her eyes up to the misty combination of snow and rain sparkling beneath a streetlight. She swears she can hear the wind carrying her name. "…and I love you, and I still think about you every day," Alex finishes. "Mom is good, everyone's good. They're sad but they're surviving."

She can't bring herself to say more, with syllables stuck on her tongue and a lump in her throat. She sits in silence until she becomes aware of the dew seeping through the fleece of her pajama pants, where the fabric spills from her boots. If she was soaked before, she's drenched now and she has work tomorrow and she doesn't want to leave but she has to and it's getting so painful to be so close to Kara, to be drowned with memories of baking and camping and laughing over inside jokes at two in the morning on school nights when they were both delusion and giddy and made light by each other's company.

Alex rises and suddenly she can't get away fast enough, she doesn't stop moving until she's in her car with the heat turned all the way up and fogging the windows as she lets her head fall into her hands and the warmth of new tears juxtaposes the chill of her skin.

 _Kara. Kara. Kara._

The name rolls in her head like the tide. She's about to pull away when something makes her stop—a light, emerging from the distance, near Kara's grave. It's gold and blinding, growing and growing until there's a sharp boom and it shrinks back into itself, a shadow of a person is left in its wake.

Alex throws open the door to the car, sprints through the darkness until the figure is just mere feet away and it's Kara. _Holy shit, it's Kara._ Alex feels her breath catch in her throat. This cannot be real, but oh God, she hopes with all her heart that it's real. There's wood strewn across the grass and there's smoke where the light used to be and—it's Kara, it's really Kara, with messy blonde hair and blue eyes bright and cheeks all flush and pink and so alive.

Alex can't move, stands frozen and shaking in the rain that begins to pour down and thunder from the sky. Kara, however, rushes forward, brings Alex into her arms and holds her close. At her sister's touch, something cracks, simultaneously breaking and waking the brunette. "Holy shit," she mutters.

Kara laughs softly, through the tears that pool in both their eyes. "Yeah, holy shit," she agrees.

Alex doesn't want this feeling to end, she might be losing her mind, she might be hallucinating but it doesn't even matter because this is the first time she's felt whole in months.

Alex's lips produce sound before she can think. "Kara," the name falls from her mouth, slicing through the early morning air.

"Yeah," Kara nods encouragingly, blonde waves bouncing, lips smiling. "Yeah, it's me. I can prove it, too. Let me think of something… okay, when I was in eighth grade you let me drive your car in the empty parking lot of a soccer field and I totally would have crashed if I didn't use my super speed to slam on the breaks before we hit that pole. Do you remember? And I wasn't supposed to tell Jerimiah or Eliza, but I panicked and told them an hour later."

Alex nodded and closed her eyes again, pulling Kara back against her and squeezing tightly, pressing her face into Kara's shoulder. "Oh my god, it's you." The agent tries to breathe deeply as she quivers with sobs and shock.

"Is this real?" she murmurs, still holding tight to Kara, afraid that the blonde might vanish. "How do I know this is real?"

"Alex," Kara says and pulls back so she can look her sister in the eyes. "This is real. I'm real. There was a myth around Krypton I didn't know it was true until now. When we thought I died and I'd been buried, my body went into stasis, since then my powers manifested while I was underground, absorbing energy from the roots of plants until my powers returned and my body was healed, then shocked out of the stasis. That's where all the lights came from, and now… I'm here."

"Oh my god, Kara," Alex sputters again and tugs her sister into another hug. "I don't ever want you to leave again. I missed you so much, I missed you _so much_ I couldn't even breathe."

Kara gently squeezes Alex back, runs her fingers through dark brown hair. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Alex."

The agent shakes her head against Kara's shoulder. "No apologies… not your fault. I just—I thought you were gone and Earth sucks without you," she laughs through slowing tears. "I mean it really, really sucks. Everything was absolutely horrible."

Kara just keeps holding on, clinging to the sound of her sister's heartbeat. "It's okay. I'm here now. Right by your side."

"I love you," Alex mutters, leaning back so she can take Kara's face between her hands, feel salty tears drip across her fingers.

"I love you, too," Kara says and smiles. Oh how Alex has missed that smile, and her sister's voice and her laugh and the words that are always right and the hugs that are perfectly timed. Suddenly Kara's expression shifts, brows furrowing in concern. "Rao, Alex, you're shaking and you're freezing cold, how long have you been out here? _What_ were you even doing out here at this time? We gotta get out of here and get you somewhere warm."

It's then that Alex becomes aware of the violent shivers racking her body, the bluish tint beneath her fingernails and the cold that gnaws at her bones.

"Oh Rao, and you're soaked—I mean absolutely drenched, Alex. What were you thinking? You're not dressed for this kind of weather." Kara says, glancing at her sister and noting the pajamas and thin sweater, feeling a lump form in her throat when she realizes it's hers and that Alex had worn it to feel close.

"I don't know," Alex says and there are still slow tears streaming down her cheeks, she's smiling and crying and she feels both intoxicated and sharp at the same time. "I just missed you… I have seat warmers in my car?"

"Rao, you haven't changed at all."

Alex grins even though she can't help but see herself over the past few months, sobbing under sheets, disintegrating into tears at mere suggestions the way she never had before. She sees herself going days without truly sleeping, barely eating, not really sure if she wanted to live anymore and she knows that she _did_ change, because everything changed when Kara died.

Kara tucks a wet strand of hair behind her sister's ear and catches the sadness in her features. "I love you and I'm so happy to see you, but I do not want you to freeze to death so let's get moving. We're talking once you're warmed up."

"Okay," Alex relents and she drops her hand from Kara's shoulders and curls their fingers together. She doesn't want to be separated, doesn't want there to be any chance that Kara somehow slips away. The warmth of the blonde's skin radiates over Alex as her palm trembles and she gives a squeeze to her sister's hand.

Kara returns the gesture. "Wanna fly?"

"Sure you still got it?"

"Always," Kara returns with a cheeky grin and there's so much other weight hanging off her words. "Come on, sis, let's go."

The blonde wraps her arms around Alex and bounces off the ground, soaring low through the misty rain. The wind is even colder, chilling Alex to her core until her shaking increases and she quivers against Kara, forceful shudders that rotate her shoulders and make her teeth chatter. "I can't believe this is happening," she whispers, her words consumed by storm as a laugh of disbelief and shock works its way through her lungs.

They reach the vehicle and Kara doesn't let go of Alex until she opens the door and places her sister in the passenger seat. "I'll drive when we're ready, you focus on warming up."

Alex nods in response because there's not much else she can do until the seat warmers are on and the heat is turned all the way up, permeating through the car. Kara digs through the trunk, finds an extra pair of clothes and uses her super speed to change Alex out of her saturated pajamas and into the running clothes and tosses a blanket her way.

"Thanks," Alex says as her shaking begins to slow. She's still for a moment before she launches herself out of her seat and pulls Kara into another hug, shoulders heaving and new tears spilling.

"Oh, hey, hey," Kara says softly, adjusting herself so she can get a better grip on her sister. "It's okay."

"You were g-gone for so long. Y-you were dead, I watched you die and we—we buried you. I didn't e-ever think I was going to get any of this again."

"I know, I know," Kara whispers, rubs her hand up and down Alex's back and through her hair. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Lex."

"I didn't think I could—could even feel like this again."

"Feel like what?"

"Happy," Alex sobs.

"Oh, Alex…" Kara holds her, rocks them slightly as a soft whimper escapes Alex's lips. "Sorry," she mutters through hitching breath.

"No, no, Alex, it's okay. You're okay."

Alex nods and sniffles, wipes away her tears. "I missed your hugs so much." She laughs softly and it tugs a smile across Kara's concerned features. "You always give the best hugs."

"I love you," Kara says and leans back, looking Alex in the eyes.

"I love you, too," Alex replies and while she slides back against her seat she keeps her hand wrapped around Kara's. "Your apartment is still intact… perfectly intact because I couldn't bring myself to sell it. Also, I think I may have had a moment with Cat Grant a few days after you died."

They talk and laugh and cry until the sun begins peeking through the trees and scattering its rays across the ground.

"What do we do now?" Alex says some hours later when they're snuggled up on her couch under Kara's favorite blanket, blue with polka dots.

Kara shrugs and adjusts the glasses she had happily reclaimed. "I think it's time I let the world back in…. We should probably call Eliza and J'onn."

Alex nods. "Good idea…. And Cat… and Lucy… and James… and Winn."

"Can we start with Eliza? So it's just the three of us again, before everything changes."

"Okay," Alex agrees, pulling out her phone. "Welcome back, Kara Zor-El Danvers," she says with a smile like sunshine, and she can't help but think that she is so, so lucky and so, so happy to have her sister back home.


	27. Chapter 27 - Kara Comes Back (Part 2)

**A/N:** Due to the amount of requests I received for a sequel to the sequel (hahaha), I wrote a continuation to the last chapter, I hope you like it! Thank you so much for all your support. You guys never fail to make me smile. To all the guests who reviewed on the last chapter, thanks! Prompts will be added to the next poll. It hasn't been updated yet since I wrote this chapter instead of pulling from the poll-there's currently a tie, so go vote if you haven't!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one. :)

* * *

 **I. Eliza**

"Come on! Come on." Kara bounces on the edge of the couch, pillow in lap and gaze stuck on Alex. "I want to tell Eliza. I miss her." The blonde is looking at her sister with shiny, wide eyes and fingers all tangled together. "…Please," she adds on.

Alex pulls out her phone and by the time her finger presses the three in Eliza's phone number Kara has dropped next to the agent. "Can I talk to her first?" Kara asks, as the other line rings.

"No," Alex whispers. "You're supposed to be dead. That's weird."

"It's not _weird."_

 _"_ Yes, it is, Kara. It's creepy."

Kara makes a face and dramatically flings herself backward across the couch, setting her feet across Alex's lap. The brunette rolls her eyes and puts a hand on Kara's shin. Kara twists a loose thread around her index finger, lets her gaze roam around Alex's apartment—she was so, so close to losing all of this. Her mind wanders. There is so much on this planet, so many people and places and—

"Eliza!" Kara announces in a whisper-yell as she hears her foster mother's voice carry through the line. A grin splits Kara's lips and she scrambles upward, accidentally kicking Alex's phone from the brunette's hand in the process. The device clatters to floor and Kara gives a sheepish smile as Alex sighs and shakes her head.

"Sorry," Kara says as she places the phone back in Alex's hand. Both girls freeze, gazes tethered to the phone, to the suddenly silent line.

Miles away Eliza furrows her brow, takes a seat on her own couch. "Honey, did I just hear…" she trails off. It's ridiculous. It's impossible.

"Yes," Alex answers and looks up to the ceiling.

"It was—it was Kara?" she asks. "It sounded like Kara."

Alex swallows a lump in her throat. "Yeah, she umm… she came back. Her body went into stasis and healed itself. We'll go into the science of it all later, but what's important is that she's alive and she's still Kara." Kara stands across from her sister, lower lip pulled between her teeth, body rocking back and forth, back and forth from her heel to the ball of her foot.

There's a heavy silence and then they both hear the soft sob that escapes Eliza's mouth. "Can I talk to her?"

Alex forgets she's on the phone and nods, pressing the device into Kara's outstretched hand.

"Mom," Kara says before she even thinks. There's water in her eyes. "Eliza," she corrects, "Hi."

"Oh, baby," Eliza says through a shuddery breath. "Kara, I love you."

Alex wraps her arms around her little sister as Kara shakes. "I've missed your voice so much." Her words quiver. There are so many people she needs to meet again, so many voices she needs to hear, and eyes she needs to see, and hands she needs to hold. "I love you, too."

"I've missed you."

"Yeah, you too," Kara says and squirms her arm out of Alex's hold to wipe her cheeks. "So much."

"I really want to hug you right now."

"I'm on it." Kara looks at Alex and her sister gives a knowing nod.

Not thirty minutes later Kara and Alex land on the lawn of their childhood home, and Kara is swept into her foster mother's arms. The hug is warm and soft, the touch familiar. "I love you, sweet girl," Eliza whispers into Kara's hair. Before she knows it, the blonde alien is sandwiched between her sister and her mom. This is Earth, this is life, this is home.

 **II. J'onn**

It's not even three hours later that Kara finds herself gathered in another hug. She'd called J'onn on her own. She likes to believe that he's seen weirder things than an alien resurrected.

When he sees her, dressed simply as Kara—no super suit or cape—he grabs her, tugs her into an embrace. When she catches tears in his eyes, Kara swears her heart is near breaking. "Hey, J'onn. Long time no see, huh?" she jokes softly.

He holds her tighter and she thinks, with a pang in her heart, that he is one of the only people on this planet that can hug her with enough power that she feels strong pressure, that she feels small—that she feels like she is not carrying the weight of these worlds on her own. But then she remembers she has Alex, she has J'onn, she has Eliza, and Winn and James and there are so many people on her side.

Another squeeze later and a soft laugh emerges from the Martian. He leans back and looks her in the eyes. "It's good to have you back, Supergirl."

"There is nowhere in the universe I would rather be."

She means every word.

 **III. Cat**

It's two a.m., twenty four hours after Kara came back. Twenty four hours of air and vocal cords and the softness of hands. Soon Supergirl will return, and Kara will have to come up with a way to show up too, without revealing her identity to all of the city. But first, before haziness turn to sharpness and life resumes in full force, there's someone Supergirl—someone Kara—needs to see.

She leaves her apartment through the window, in her Supergirl suit, because it feels right. Because she missed it.

It's late ( _really_ early) but Kara doesn't want to wait any longer. She darts through the night sky, after confirming that Cat was still in the office. Wind splits across her face, sending her curls sprawling out behind her. A smile pulls at her lips. She dips up and down above the city lights that blur and sparkle beneath her.

It's minutes later when she touches down on the balcony of CatCo, red cape billowing behind her in the dim yellow light emanating from Cat's office. She tilts her head to look through the glass, watches as Cat turns in her chair and rises.

The older woman pauses in front of the glass. Heavy blinks pull at her eyelids. Their gazes catch and hold.

 _This cannot be real._

Cat extends her arm, opens the door, steps forward. She has sworn to see red flickering outside her window pane in the months following Kara's death, only to open the door to emptiness and car horns and the shimmer of moonlight, but this, right now, is more than a wink of red or a name on the wind. This is a person. This is—

"Supergirl," Cat says in a soft outpour of breath. She reaches, touches the hand of this figure in front of her. A part of her is surprised when her fingertips collide with warm skin.

She looks up, eyes bright and inquisitive. "Kara," she says this time, with a smile flitting across her lips.

"Yeah," Kara confirms and swallows.

"How?"

"I went into stasis, body healed itself." Kara shrugs. She wants to hug her boss, her mentor, her idol.

Cat nods slowly. "I suspected it the whole time."

Kara wrinkles her nose in confusion. "That I'd come back?"

"No," the older woman shakes her head. "That you were Supergirl."

"Oh," Kara drops her gaze. "Are you mad?"

Cat bites her lip, her eyes grow watery. She squeezes the youngest Danvers' hand. "Oh, Kara… Kiera… Supergirl… you have so many names."

"That's mostly your fault," Kara points out, a cheeky smile lighting up her features. She is so, _so happy_ to be here. To be back.

"Yeah, well, maybe. But that's not the point. You have so many lives, you have lived so many lives and you have saved even more. I imagine that it is difficult to exist like that, between two worlds, two identities. I am sorry that I made it more challenging for you." She heaves a deep breath. "I'm sorry for what you have been through in your life and I need to say it now, that Kara, despite everything, you are better hearted than so many of us. You are the best of this planet, of this universe. I didn't say it enough when you were alive, but thank you."

Kara's words get trapped in her throat and as she feels blush heat up her cheeks Cat wraps her arms around the blonde.

"I missed you," Kara says, cracks a bit as she reciprocates the embrace.

"I missed you, too," Cat says and leans back. "You were gone and the whole world was worse for it. I do not expect for you to let that happen again."

"I'll do my best, Ms. Grant." Kara smiles.

"Cat," she corrects.

Kara nods. "Cat."

 **IV. Alex**

Kara arrives back at her apartment a little after three that morning. She sees that Alex has fallen asleep on the couch, waiting up for her sister. Kara's heart squeezes.

She slides the remote out of Alex's had and flicks off the volume on the T.V. For a moment Kara is struck frozen. With the white television light illuminating Alex's features and sending shadows across the room, and outside the stars are mingling with city lights and cars are moving and so many people are filling their lungs with air and pumping blood through hearts and filling space with movement, Kara's breath hitches in her throat. A sob heaves its way through her body and shakes her shoulders.

Alex blinks into consciousness and reaches into the darkness to pull her sister toward her.

"I don't ever want to let any of this go," Kara says against Alex's sleepy form. "I don't want to lose any of it."

The brunette stares into Kara's watery eyes, brushes away her tears with the pad of her thumb. "And we don't want to lose you. Don't let the 'what ifs' swallow you, okay?" Alex says and her voice is simultaneously soft and strong in the dim light.

Kara takes a deep breath, nods then yawns.

"Right now, you're here, and I'm here, and all of that scaring dying shit is over."

A giggle breaks its way through Kara's tears.

"I know it's terrifying and you're hurting and this is probably one of those things that we will carry with us for the rest of your lives, but Kara, there's no one else in the world I'd rather carry things with than you, 'cause I know you've got my back, and I know, you know, that I've always got yours. I just wish it didn't have to hurt you, but we'll be okay. We always are, right?"

Kara nods. "Right," she repeats and relaxes with a little, quivery sigh, tucking herself against Alex's side and letting her eyes close. "Coming back to life is exhausting," she murmurs with the ghost of a smile on her lips.

Alex runs a hand through the blonde's hair. "Amen to that, sister."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight," the agent replies. "I'll see you in the morning, Kara." She has dreamed about saying those words again.

"Definitely. With pancakes, preferably."

Alex's laughter dances in the darkness. "You've got it." She is relieved to find that somethings never change.


	28. Chapter 28 - Kara Kidnapped

**A/N:** Hello! Now that exams are done, I'm free to write more for a little while. :) Thank you so much for all you guys do. The poll has been updated so head over and vote if you'd like.

Also, I made a twitter today, like literally an hour ago or something. My handle is super_q13 - which is subject to change, but I'll put my username up on my profile here in case I become indecisive. So, if you want to follow me there it'll be a good way for me to update you on chapter progress, prompts, polls, etc. Plus, we can talk about Supergirl and stuff, which I'm always game for.

P.S. To the guest who reviewed requesting Kara/Alex pairing, I only write them as sisters-sorry!

Lastly, special thanks to the guest who submitted today's prompt of Kara getting tortured at CADMUS and Alex taking care of her. And, thank you to the super sweet guests who reviewed last chapter. Btw, I threw Maggie into this update, because I love her. So yeah, she's kind of in this one a lot.

Okay, okay, I'm finally done.

* * *

"I'm taking the right corridor, Sawyer you go left," Alex whispers as they turn a corner in the dark building, gunfire is white noise and the corruption of CADMUS is its backdrop. After three months the DEO received a solid lead on Kara's disappearance and the location finds them racing through halls, shoes screeching across the floor as they take advantage of the chaos to look for Kara. Alex leads a tactical team and after pleading with J'onn, he'd allowed Maggie to come too, tagging along with Alex's partner team.

In the earlier months, before Kara was drugged and kidnapped, Maggie had grown close to the blonde between shared movie nights with both Danvers and friendly conversations and ice cream. Just the day before Kara's disappearance, Maggie had stolen the confession from Alex's mouth that Kara was Supergirl. Now, as she watches the darkness swallow Alex and her team around the corner, Maggie's heart thunders in her chest as her feet pound against the tile and she takes off. "Come on, Kara," she mutters as she kicks in doors and sends ammo flying. "We've got to find you."

Kara sinks against the corner of a dark room, presses her aching, bleeding body against the metal at the sound of footsteps that reverberate through the hall and doors slamming and gunfire. The frigid temperature sends shivers ripping through her body and despite her attempts to stay quiet a whimper escapes her lips. She curls a hand around her stomach, just minutes prior three CADMUS agents had shoved liquid green kryptonite down her throat until she swallowed and refilled the I.V. injecting more of the substance directly into her bloodstream.

She presses her head against the wall and opens her eyes. Everything is dark and it sends panic like ice through her veins. She can feel the ever present Kryptonite built into the walls, she should be able to see it. She should be able to see slivers of light seeping in from beneath the door, but instead everything is black.

She can't see but she hears the footsteps grow closer, the yelling pounds in her ears and then the door flies open and still, her vision is a field of total darkness.

"Kara," a voice says and the blonde recoils.

"Clear!" another voice yells. "You got this?" an agent asks Maggie and she nods.

"Good," the male voice says. "You get her out as quickly as possible, we have to keep moving."

Everything is so loud and cluttered, it's dizzying. Kara tries to push herself further against the wall and her injuries scream in response.

She hears soft footsteps approach and halt in front of her. "Hey, Kara. We're going to get you out of here, okay?" The voice is warm but the blonde is silent. This would not be the first time they faked a rescue and it's all more confusing now that her sight has been torn from her senses.

"We have to move really fast. This might hurt a little; I'm so sorry." Maggie pulls the I.V. from Kara's arm with as much tenderness as she can muster. The detective pauses at the sight of handcuffs imprisoning Kara's wrists and the raw, red skin beneath them.

She takes a deep breath to resettle herself. Another agent cuts the metal off before rushing to hold off the CADMUS agents storming toward the room.

"All right, there we go," Maggie says and hoists Kara up, the blonde moans in protest and a sharp whimper follows.

"I know," Maggie attempts to sooth as she adjusts Kara's arm over her shoulder and quickens their pace. "I'm sorry. If there were any other way to do this I would, but we have to get you out now."

Another groan parts Kara's lips, Maggie can feel Supergirl's muscles tighten and tense against her own body. They're so close that she shares in every shiver and shake. Their escape begins with Kara fighting each step, flailing and thrashing against Maggie, but her attempts are weak and soon she becomes so consumed with focusing on staying on her feet and struggling against the kryptonite in her system that Kara is forced to comply and lean against Maggie.

When Kara finally relents, the detective wonders how much the youngest Danvers is really processing, between the soft murmurs, swaying steps, and distant, unfocused glances, it doesn't appear to be much.

"We're almost there," Maggie mutters as Kara's shaking grows more violent. The black filling her vision makes every step a risk, a battle. She wants to believe that this is freedom, but she can't. It's already difficult enough to balance the woman against her side, and the added movement of Kara's sudden trembling causes Maggie's foot to catch on debris scattering the floor. She stumbles for a moment before correcting herself, but the harsh movement jerks Kara's body and she snaps her eyes shut, straining to pull deep breathes through her lungs.

"Come on, just a few more steps," Maggie pleads to the sound of gunshots ringing out in the background, growing closer.

Maggie shakes her head and stops, giving Kara a moment to steady herself. Something's wrong with Kara, Maggie thinks as she steers her gaze toward the younger woman's flushed face. Her eyes are dropping closed, her breaths short pants that burn through her chest; it's already such a stark contrast to the fight the blonde was putting up just minutes ago.

Maggie sends a glance behind her at the chaos erupting in the other hall. They have no other choice. There's no way she's letting Little Danvers lose it here, not when they're so close. "The exit is just around the corner."

The door comes into view just as Maggie feels the muscles of Kara's stomach tighten sharply against her side. The blonde heaves, vomiting as Maggie nearly carries her through the door. Sunlight slaps against their faces as they spill into the parking lot. It's just the two of them, the rest of the tactical team, behind in the building.

Worry fills Maggie and she gently deposits Kara into a sitting position on the asphalt. She didn't even know Kara could get sick.

Kara leans forward, crouching on her knees and palms as her stomach lurches, expelling bile. Maggie puts a hand on Kara's back as it shakes, and she can't miss the way Kara flinches when the touch is first initiated. "It's okay, you're okay," Maggie comforts, rubbing circles across Kara's back and gathering the blonde's hair behind her. _God, where is Alex?_ She thinks that this is something Alex would do, so she continues.

Kara throws up again and spits, shoulders heaving and limbs shaking beneath her frail and battered frame. She trembles some more until falling back, so she's pressed against the pavement and gravel cuts into her legs.

Maggie presses the back of her hand against Kara's forehead, heat radiates against the detective's skin. "Alex is on her way, she'll be here soon."

Kara swallows hard, she wishes she could see who's touching her. In all the fake rescues, they'd never been able to stimulate Alex, it never worked and then, days later they told Kara her sister was dead and it felt like nothing else mattered anymore.

A medical team pulls up and doctor's rush out, gathering around Kara. It's too loud, it's too much under the touch of foreign hands and darkness that she can't break through. She needs to see, she needs something to hang on to.

It's all overwhelming. The noises and touches in her head. Her chest constricts, her throat tightens. With her weak limbs she hits and squirms, with a raw, painful voice she screams.

"Kara!" someone yells and she hears footsteps racing toward her. Alex sprints out of the building, pushing her way between doctors and collapsing onto her knees in front of her sister. The familiar timbre steals Kara's voice from her throat, she freezes.

"Alex," she whispers a beat later.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm right here." Alex responds and Kara's tries to look toward her sister's voice. She reaches out, feels with her fingers Alex's cheeks, her nose, her lips. She is real.

Kara lets out a sob, the medical team around them is still, Maggie watches from the side.

"Kara, you're safe now. It's okay. I've got you," she says softly to her sister's unresponsive whimper. Alex tugs Kara against her, gently takes her in her arms. She moves her fingers to check the pulse on Kara's wrist. "They told me you were dead," Kara cries and bunches her fingers around Alex's shirt. "They said they shot you, that you weren't ever coming to get me."

"They were wrong," Alex says and takes Kara's face in her hands, brushes her fingers across pale cheeks. "I'm right here. I'm alive."

"But, Alex," Kara whispers as she's pressed up against her sister's shoulder. "Alex, I can't see."

"You can't see?" Alex asks, brushes matted, bloody hair from Kara's feverish forehead.

"No," Kara shakes her head, but it makes the pounding worse and she feels like she might be sick again, so she stills. Somehow she's feeling considerably worse. "Everything is black. I—I can't… how do I know? How do I know this is really _really_ you? I have to be sure. I have to know. I-"

Alex curls her hand around Kara's, silencing the blonde, and pulls it toward her chest. "You know this heartbeat," she says and moves Kara's fingers to brush a scar on her sister's hand, "and you know I got this scar climbing trees." Alex pauses for a moment then runs Kara's hand over her pinky finger, "and you know that this bone never healed correctly after I broke it playing flag football, so it feels crooked." She gently pushes Kara's hand against her brown hair. "And you know the length of my hair and you know the earrings that I wear, and the watch I always have on." She moves Kara's hand.

The blonde's breathing stills just a bit. Alex let's go and runs her fingers over her sister's hair. "You know me."

Kara nods and she's about to speak, has words posed on her lips, when her eyes drop closed and she falls limp against Alex.

/

Kara's eyes part in dim gold light, illuminating the room. It's the first time in so long that she doesn't have to recoil at brightness or blink her way through the dark. It's the first time in hours that images begin to form before her again. The whiteness of the room exists as a blur in her vision, but there's something about the sterile walls and beeping and medical equipment glinting light that makes her breath catch, lodges a sob painfully in her throat.

Her eyes shift around but it's all fuzzy so she squeezes them shut and can feel her heart begin to thump faster and faster. The machines get louder, the noises quicker so they vibrate in her ear.

They have never taken her here before. She wonders what they will do.

She can feel her throat getting tight, her breaths gasp, her limbs jittery. Oh Rao, she can't go through this again. She can't. She doesn't want to die here, doesn't want to leave earth without saying goodbye first. She—

"Kara," a voice seeps into her thoughts. She hasn't been called Kara in so long. There's a bit of muffled words and ruffling as Maggie gently shakes Alex awake.

"Kara," comes another voice, sleepy and familiar-one that Kara will always know.

She lets her eyes open and in the place where darkness and hazy images once stood are Alex and Maggie, leaning over her with concern etched across their features. It all comes back to her, the rescue, sitting in the street and grasping Alex. This is real. She is safe. She can see, and she's seeing her sister. Between the floods of relief, a sob heaves its way through her lungs and cracks her lips apart.

"Alex," she murmurs through the water streaking her checks. She extends a broken little arm out to her big sister and when Alex leans in to hug Kara, everything just snaps. In reality's harsh illumination everything shifts back into place, Kara can feel it in her heart and chest as she clutches Alex.

"I love you, I love you," Kara mutters between her cries into Alex's hair. "I love you."

"Shh," Alex says soothingly and runs her hand over Kara's back, keeping her close in the firm embrace. Kara thinks she could stay there like that forever. "I love you, too."

"Sorry," Kara says and her words are watery and jumbled, "I'm sorry. I missed you so much." Everything's a rush of whispered syllables between sobs and gasps for air.

"Kara, you don't have to apologize," Alex says, pulling Kara's trembling body impossibly closer. The blonde tucks her head against Alex's shoulder, so her vision is filled by the grey fabric of her sister's sweater. "You didn't do anything wrong." The brunette rocks slowly in the hospital bed with Kara held tight in her arms.

"I can see again," Kara says, nuzzling her nose against Alex's sweater.

"Yeah I bet you can. You're body was overwhelmed with green kryptonite. CADMUS liquefied it. The doctors here had to pump your stomach to get out what they could, and the rest will just take time to go away," Alex runs her hand up and down Kara's back. "You were pretty beat up. Got a lot of broken bones and stitches."

Kara mumbles something incoherent and grips Alex tighter. Over the blonde's shoulder Alex catches Maggie's gaze.

"I'll go," the detective mouths quietly, motioning toward the door.

"Thank you for everything," Alex whispers back.

On her way out Maggie puts a warm hand of Alex's shoulder, leans to whisper in her ear. "Let Kara know I hope she feels better, and that I'm glad we have her back."

Kara lifts her head from the safety of Alex's shoulder, she blinks up at Maggie. The blonde's hair is mused and messy, her eyes watery and cheeks red. "Wait," she says quietly, makes an attempt at straightening up. It tugs something in her abdomen and she flinches back. "You helped me. You got me out of there. I remember."

Maggie shrugs and gives a smile.

"Thank you," Kara says, her blue eyes earnest and her voice the steadiest since her return.

"You being back here is more than enough thanks, Kara."

Blush colors Kara's cheeks before a yawn takes over. Maggie and Alex both laugh. "Get some rest, Kara, and hang in there. I'll see you girls later."

Maggie gives Kara's hand a squeeze and kisses Alex's cheek before she disappears through the door and it's just the two Danvers sisters and four walls and the steadying _thump, thump, thump,_ of Kara's heart.

There's so much Alex wants to say but all she can do is hold Kara against her and synchronize their breaths as she whispers over and over again "I'm here, I'm here, I'm here" while Kara curls close against her.

Minutes pass and Alex falls to silence as Kara's muscles finally ease and her tears still. She pulls away from Alex just enough to look up at her face through puffy, red-rimmed eyes. "What time is it?" she asks.

"11:33" Alex answers as she glances down at her watch.

"At night?"

"At night," Alex confirms with a nod and tucks a strand of hair behind Kara's ear.

"Can we go look at the stars?" she asks, sniffling.

"I don't know," Alex hesitates. "You're pretty banged up, Kar. I don't want you to hurt yourself or be in any more pain than you already are."

"Alex, it's been so long since I've been able to see them."

"I'll get a nurse to grab you a wheelchair."

Ten minutes later they're perched on the DEO rooftop out in the desert, where there's no light pollution or grating sounds, just stars and planets and the soft hum of the earth. Short inches of concrete stretch between their hips and silence quivers in the late night air.

Instead of watching the stars, Alex glances at her sister, studying each stitch and bruise exposed by her thin hospital gown in the soft moonlight.

"Alex?" Kara murmurs quietly, pulling Alex's gaze some moments later.

"Hmm?" Alex hums, switching her gaze from the bandages on Kara's broken ankle to her sister's face.

The blonde looks down, runs her fingers around the hem of her hospital gown. "Thank you for coming and bringing me home, I-" she breaks off into a sigh and blinks away the tears that burn in her eyes. "I was so scared," she admits and her voice is barely a tremble in the air. "I didn't think I was going to see the sun again, or the stars, but what really killed me was thinking I was never going to see you again and I can't, I couldn't- "

"Kara," Alex says and wraps a hand around her sister's fidgeting, shaking fingers. "I am always going to do all that I can to be here to bring you home and I swear to you, I will always, always fight for you with everything I have in me, okay?"

Kara nods with stars reflecting in her watery eyes. "Thank you."

Alex brushes her cheek. "You're shivering," the agent says.

Kara continues to gaze out into the night sky. "Just a little longer," she says and pulls her knees to her chest. "I'm not ready to let go just yet. It's quiet up here, it's...safe."

"Okay," Alex says. Kara slides over, and snuggles into Alex's side.

"Maggie's nice. I like her," Kara says.

"Me too," Alex responds, pulling a small laugh from her sister.

"Can we go home tomorrow?"

Alex nods. "I think so."

"Good," Kara responds and rests her head on Alex's shoulder. "Because there's nowhere I'd rather be right now."

Alex wraps her arm around Kara. "There's nowhere I'd rather have you be either."


	29. Chapter 29 - Kara Kidnapped (Part 2)

**A/N** : Since I received some requests for a sequel, here it is. Big thanks to the guest who requested part of this chapter include Cat having to call Alex for Kara.

Thank you so much to the guest who left such a sweet review. Also, the prompts submitted will be added to the next poll. Keep voting on this poll if you haven't already!

Reviews have been messed up lately, if I haven't replied to yours yet it's because the site won't let me, so I'm sending my thanks here. :)

* * *

"Ms. Grant," Kara says, stepping into Cat's office and letting the door close behind her. "I need to call my sister, Alex."

"Kiera, have you really grown so incompetent that you can't press numbers on a phone by yourself?" Cat feels a bit of remorse at when the harshness of her words leave her mouth, especially following the kidnapping and semi-recent confirmation that Kara and Supergirl are the same person, but it's important to keep up workplace pretenses. God forbid one of her workplace minions notices a difference in behavior and makes the connection between Kara and Supergirl.

Her stomach is in knots and she tries to hide her shaking hands by curling them together behind her back. "I—um, my phone is still broken after…" she pauses and trails off, drops her gaze to floor where she can't stop bouncing the leg. Her chest feels tight, she looks toward the ceiling and closes her eyes. "I really _really_ need to talk to my sister right now." When she opens her eyes again there's moisture brimming the edges, she pulls her trembling lip between her teeth and tries to will herself to hold it together just a little longer. She doesn't know why everything is sinking in, but she can't stop it and Rao, she just needs to hear her sister's voice.

Cat watches each movement, feels concern begin to spread. She puts down her coffee and steps forward. "Kara, are you okay?"

The blonde nods feverishly, sends her hair bouncing as warm tears pool and spill over. "I just need to talk to Alex."

"Okay, we can do that," Cat says and she wonders how much went on during Kara's three month long disappearance. The information she'd received from the DEO was vague and in Kara's past week at work she hasn't said one word about the experience, closing up entirely each time Cat made an indication she was about to ask. The older woman, however, couldn't avoid noticing that Kara flinched at loud noises and recoiled at touches and kept quiet as much as possible and looked down when she walked and kept her hands shoved firmly in her pockets. Whatever had happened was bad, unimaginably so.

"What's her number?" Cat asks and Kara relays the digits as she paces, drags a hand through her hair before shaking them out so her fingers slap against her thighs. She is spiraling and her breath is coming faster and her heart is pounding and this is so not good.

"Kara," Cat says and extends the phone as it rings.

Kara shakes her head and drops onto the couch, pulling a pillow into her lap and clutching it against her stomach. "One second," she mutters so quietly Cat almost misses it. Her face falls into her hands and she rubs her forehead, leaving the skin red.

Cat handles the call; she's been on decent terms with the oldest Danvers after Kara first disappeared, their mutual concern for the blonde uniting them.

Alex moves her arm around Maggie, positioning the perfect pool shot for the detective. She's just about to jut the cue forward, breath bated behind Maggie's ear and smile flirting across her lips, when the phone rings. She flinches for a moment, drops the cue, and sighs dramatically before tugging her cell from the back pocket of her jeans.

"Can't handle a little distraction, Danvers?" Maggie teases as she turns around, greets Alex with sparkly eyes.

"You're more than enough of a distraction already," Alex says with a grin as she flicks on her phone and sees Cat's name flashing across the screen. The agent's brows contort in concern and she pulls her lower lip between her teeth. She looks back at Maggie. "I have to take this," she says tensely and disappears through a sea of people toward the door.

When she returns mere moments later her expression is somber, her cheeks void of the warm blush that colored them just minutes before.

"What's wrong?" Maggie asks, pushing off the table she was leaning against and moving closer to her girlfriend.

"It's Kara," Alex says and swallows, tangles her fingers in her hair. "This is bad, Maggie." Alex gathers her coat and pockets her phone. "It's been two weeks and Kara keeps acting like she's fine, but she's not and she won't talk to me about anything that's happened. I don't even have an idea of what they did to her. Everything I know I learned from x-rays and blood tests, but it's not enough, it's not what she needs and I don't _know_ how to be what she needs."

Maggie takes Alex's hands in her own. "Right now, it sounds like Kara just needs her sister at her side. So, come on, let's go get your sister and figure out the rest later."

Alex nods and pulls her keys out of her pocket. "You're right."

"Do you want me to come with?"

"It's okay, thanks though," Alex says. "I think Kara just needs as much quiet and space as possible right now. It'll be better just the two of us."

Maggie nods. "I understand, I'll see you later, Alex. Let Kara know I'm thinking about her, okay?" The detective gives one of her warm smiles and for a moment Alex feels like everything will be fine.

"Will do. Thanks for being so okay with the weird chaos that is my life," Alex says as they walk out into the parking lot.

Maggie knocks Alex's leg with her hip. "You need me, and I'll be there. I like your life _and_ your family."

"Thanks, Maggie," Alex says as she steps into her car. "I'll see you later."

"See ya," Maggie says, tapping the hood of the vehicle before Alex backs out and pulls away.

Back at CatCo, Kara squeezes her eyes closed before pulling them open again. "Is she still on the line?" the blonde asks, looking up at Cat through tear blurred eyes. The desperation in her voice jars Cat's heart.

Cat shakes her head. "But I can call her back if that's what you need."

Kara bites her lip. She doesn't want to be a burden, she doesn't want to be a mess, and waste time and energy and all these things that nobody has enough of, but the growing panic catapulting through her body takes over her every thought and drives the nod that prompts Cat to redial Alex's number.

"Sorry," the younger woman says and Cat waves a dismissive hand.

"Don't be sorry, just focus on getting better. I know you can do it."

When the phone begins to ring Cat passes it to Kara's shaking hands. The blonde's fingers curl around the device, pull it close to her face where she cradles it against her ear with tears in her eyes and trembling legs.

"What happened? Is she okay?"

"Alex?" Kara asks with a small voice, heavy with exhaustion and fear.

Alex's voice immediately softens. "Hey, sweet thing, what's going on?"

"Alex, I'm about to freak out."

"Okay, that's okay. If you freak out it happens and we'll get through it. What's got you panicking?"

Kara swallows a sob. "It's all coming down and I can't—I can't…" she breaks off and from her desk Cat tilts her head in concern, stepping out onto the balcony to give Kara some privacy.

"Shh, hey, hey, hey, it's all right, just keep on breathing. What can I do to help you right now? I'm already on my way."

"I don't know," Kara says and her voice is high. Alex can feel her sister's alarm building. "Just, can you just stay on the line and get here as fast as you can?"

"Absolutely."

"Just keep talking."

Alex keeps the line busy. She talks about Maggie and Eliza and the most dramatic Kardashian news, and she talks about a recent painting she saw that reminded her of Kara and the cutest dog she saw the other day when she was running. She keeps it simple and light, she talks to keep her sister's mind full, to fill the cracks that threaten to split Kara into pieces.

The door flies open behind Alex as she enters Cat's office, sends papers flitting to the floor. "Where is she?" Alex asks, glancing toward the CEO emerging from the balcony.

"I just moved her outside, it's getting chaotic out on the floor."

Alex nods and gets to Kara's side as quickly as possible while Cat lingers inside to give them space. As Alex approaches she hears Kara whispering, listens as a series of names falls from her sister's lips. _Alex, Eliza, Jerimiah, Mom, Dad, Clark, J'onn, James, Winn, Lucy, Cat, Maggie, Alex, Eliza, Jerimiah, Mom, Dad, Clark, J'onn, James, Winn, Lucy, Cat, Maggie._ It's a list of all the people Kara loves, all the people that ground her. Alex feels her heart clench, she wants so badly to take Kara in her arms and hug those three months of separation away. "Hey, Kar," Alex says gently, kneeling in front of her sister. "What up?"

"I don't feel good," Kara says and even with her lips pulled down and her eyes closed she extends a hand out in search of Alex's. The brunette wraps her fingers around Kara's, runs her thumb over her sister's knuckles.

"Do you feel sick? Are you hurt?" Alex asks and leans back, scrutinizing Kara for any injuries or signs of illness before reaching out for her sister's forehead.

The blonde shakes her head and pulls back. "No it's not like that, I-" she let's out a quivering stutter of a breath and feels her throat tightening again, sees flashes of the CADMUS basement and green kryptonite. She snaps her eyes open. "Nothing feels good. You wouldn't get it, you won't understand. Nobody understands." She's Supergirl and she's supposed to be brave and sturdy and never falter. She can do it, she can put on the suit and let a mask fall over her features and she can pretend, but she can't stop the flinches at loud noises or the worry that's always coiled in her stomach or the way her heart feels like it's constantly racing. She can't help the fact that hands make her nervous and looking at household objects only stimulates pain and faces are terrifying and so is the dark and night and being alone. She can't shake the images that lurk in the shadows of her memory and present themselves in shrieking vibrancy when she's just trying to get through the day. _She's just trying to get through the day and she can't._

"Then explain it to me," Alex says, swinging Kara's hands between them. "Help me."

Kara looked at Alex through dark lashes. "It's just—it's all too much. I try to shake all these memories but I can't. It's like I'm drowning. I see them _everywhere_ and I thought I could keep going but I can't, and today I felt all this panic coming down on me. It was like I didn't know myself, I didn't trust myself. _"_

"Kara, I know what you're talking about. I've felt it before."

"You have?" She was so tired of being alone.

Alex nodded and wiped a tear from Kara's face. "Remember the mission I went on last year? I lost comms connection for three days, and I know it isn't to the exact degree of what you're dealing with, but we lost agents there, we were hostages and I _remember_ what it feels like to come back from that. To feel like a stranger to yourself. To feel like they still have control."

Kara's eyes were linked to Alex's like her sister had the answer to every problem, like the agent was the only thing that could fix her.

"It's _so_ hard and Kara you are so strong, but you've been keeping all of this in and I don't know if that's a good thing. It's not like you and I'm worried." She tucked a strand of Kara's hair behind her ear. "I know that you need time and I respect that, but I also need you to know that you have always got me in your corner, okay? You can tell me anything. If you need to talk, if you need me to spend the night or have someone with you after a nightmare, you're got me. Always."

"It was so bad," Kara whispers and her voice cracks. "They tortured me for hours every day," she squeezes her eyes closes and the images fall like rocks in a landslide. "There was so many of them, there was so much. They threatened everyone and everything I love and they told me you were dead and that hurt more than any of the beatings or knifes or electricity or kryptonite." Her words are increasing, flooding together as her breaths increase and she chokes on a sob. Her frame quivered violently. "I'm not okay. On the outside everything looks fine and I've healed, but on the inside I'm falling apart and I just can't do it. It feels like everything is broken."

"God, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to think of me differently."

"Oh, Kara, I would never," Alex says and pulls her sister into a hug. "You are everything to me."

/

Six hours and two movies later finds them snuggled up on Kara's couch, pajama clad and full of pizza and popcorn. Kara's head is settled on a pillow in the older Danvers' lap and Alex runs her hand through the blonde's hair. The touch is gentle and familiar and Kara finds herself melting into it, feeling relaxed for the first time in weeks. She hasn't received more than three hours of sleep a night since her return and after talking for hours, Alex knows it. Mere minutes after Kara's eyes flutter closed and she tucks her hands beneath her head, Alex's phone rings and Kara's eyes shoot open. She glances around blearily and Alex laughs softly, putting a hand on Kara's shoulder. "It's okay, you're fine. Close your eyes again." She rubs Kara's back, tries to urge her to sleep again as she answers the phone, but instead Kara sits up, blinking at the TV.

Alex makes a move to stand, but her sister curls loose fingers around the agent's arm. After starving herself from contact and interaction, Kara wants all the time she can spend absorbing the security and comfort Alex exudes. So per Kara's request, the brunette settles back on the couch and Kara curls into her side.

"Hey," Alex says softly as Maggie's voice greets her from the other end of the line. "What's up?"

"I was just calling to check up on you two and everything that happened earlier. How's Little Danvers doing?"

"Better, I think." Alex says and smiles down at Kara, who's looking up at her with messy hair and pillow creases pressed into her cheeks. "She's gonna be just fine."

"I'm glad to hear it," Maggie says and even though they can't see it she's smiling. At the same time Kara perks up a bit. "Is that Maggie?" she asks.

"You have superhearing," Alex says.

"But I wasn't using it, because I respect your privacy." Kara makes a face and Alex scoffs, pulling Kara closer.

"Yes, Kara, it's Maggie," Alex announces loudly, so both other women can hear it.

Maggie laughs and Kara raises her eyebrows, teasing her sister, but then her features become innocent and earnest, "She should come over."

"One sec," Alex says to Maggie and temporarily pulls the phone away. She's serious when she faces her sister. "You think you're up for it?"

Kara nods.

"It's okay if you're not," Alex says, even though she's glad that Kara's taking steps to put herself back into the world. "We can spend the rest of the night quietly. You can sleep and I'll just hang out with you," she reasons, but Kara shakes her head.

"I want to let people in, I want to start feeling normal again," Kara says and slumps against her sister to keep their heartbeats closer. "Maggie's a good place to start."

"Okay. I'm proud of you," Alex says with a smile and she invites Maggie over. Even though the little blonde alien is passed out on the couch under her favorite blue blanket by the time the detective arrives, it's okay. Alex knows they're going to be fine as she and Maggie curl on the couch with hot chocolate and more movies and Kara snuggled between them. She knows they'll be fine when Kara sleeps through the whole night without any thrashing or yelping, and when she wakes with a sleepy smile pulling at her lips at the sight of Maggie and Alex wearing matching Christmas socks and dancing through the kitchen. They'll be fine.


	30. Chapter 30 - Holiday Chapter

**A/N:** Thank you! Thank you! Thank YOU! Your responses (as always) absolutely made my day. To the guests that I can't respond to directly, I appreciate you SO much and just know your prompts will be added to the next poll. Speaking of poll... I'm interjecting between usual updates to drop a holiday chapter, because it was requested by NicosMama (thanks!) and I forgot to put it on the last poll _and_ we're running out of days in December so it was kind of now or never; ergo, we have a holiday chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

Also, happy holidays!

* * *

"Why do parents lie to their kids?"

From the couch, Eliza turned around to face Kara; while Alex, just walking through the doorway from soccer practice, bag still slung over her shoulder, froze and looked at her sister with furrowed brows. "What?"

Kara dropped her pencil back onto her biology textbook and stood up. "Well," she began, pacing around the living room. "There's this guy, right—on earth? Named Santa Claus?"

Alex bit back her smile, amusement blossoming across her flushed features. Eliza did the same.

"…and somehow everyone knows him, but also… he's not real? At least that's the factual information I've acquired, but everywhere I go, parents with young children say that he's real and everyone has these pictures of him, like he's real, but he's not. I mean, I don't think he is." She paced in front of the couch and paused in front of Eliza, rubbing her eyes with loose fists. "This is so confusing. " She glanced at both Eliza and Alex. "Just tell me the truth, is this Santa guy real?"

"No," Alex said at the same time Eliza replied "yes."

Kara groaned and dramatically threw herself onto the couch. Alex closed the front door with her heel and locked it, before making her way to the couch where Eliza had put a hand on Kara's back, smiling sympathetically.

Alex sat on the coffee table across from the pair and nudged her sister until the blonde sat up.

"It's time you learn about Christmas, Kara."

Forty five minutes later Kara found herself with a cup of hot chocolate between her palms and more questions than she'd started with.

"Okay so, I get the part about putting up trees—sort of, but why lights on rooftops?"

Alex took a sip of her hot chocolate and sighed, she never knew explaining Christmas could turn into such a grueling process. "Honestly, Kara, I don't really know. Mom always said it was so Santa could find his way around Earth to drop off presents, but since we've established he isn't real, it's probably just a hoax."

Kara rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at Alex.

"Hey! Watch it, I have a mug over here."

"That's not what I meant," Kara said and sunk into the couch.

"Well, what did you mean?"

"I don't know," Kara huffed and pursed her lips. She sat up a moment later. "Okay I have another question."

"Why do people kiss under mistletoe? And what happens if you eat it?"

"Is everything about food with you?"

"Sort of."

"It's toxic. Sometimes."

"Alex would know," Eliza said, appearing behind the brunette. "She ate it once when she was two."

"You did?" Kara asked, eyes wide in a mixture of amusement and shock.

"Yeah," Alex said flatly.

"Were you okay?"

"Well, I'm here now, aren't I?"

"I guess, but I don't know if you're _okay_ ," Kara teased and tugged the Christmas blanket Alex had pulled out tighter around her legs. It was soft and made Kara sleepy.

Alex rolled her eyes. "I was sick. On Christmas, which sucked. You should have some compassion. Being sick on Christmas is, like, one of the worst things ever."

This time Eliza rolled her eyes. "Alexandra, stop being dramatic."

"It's a fact not an opinion," the brunette said, raising her palms in a gesture of innocence-something Kara found funny, pulling a laugh from the young Kryptonian.

"What foods do you eat on Christmas?"

"Oh my god, so many," Alex said, lighting up, "There are gingerbread houses and candy canes and on Christmas Eve you have to leave cookies out for Santa and—

"I thought he wasn't real," Kara interjected, looking up from the bio book she'd pulled onto the couch while Alex informed her of Earth customs and the blonde took notes in the margin of an old test that'd been returned to her.

"He's _not-_ Just go with it."

"You people are weird."

"Says the alien."

"Exactly."

Alex crinkled her face in confusion, _what did that even mean?_ " _Anyway,_ you have a big dinner with tons of people on Christmas Eve and then Christmas morning we stay home and Dad makes these really awesome pancakes that are shaped like snowmen with little scarves and everything."

Everything sounded really quite wonderful to Kara, she smiled down at her book before asked, "Why snowmen?"

"Because it's winter." Alex said as if it were obvious.

"But it doesn't snow everywhere on Christmas. That's why there's that one song that I kept hearing."

Alex nodded. "Right, but snowmen pancakes are a Danvers tradition, not an everyone tradition."

"Oh."

"There are some things, like Christmas trees and lights and presents, that pretty much everyone who celebrates Christmas does. And then, there are things that just our family does, but we do them every year so they've become our traditions."

"Interesting," Kara said, making note of it on her paper.

"All right, enough Earth lessons for now," Eliza said appearing from her office. "Jerimiah had to work late, but he'll be home soon and then we're going out to dinner. Go hop in the shower, Alex."

"Okay," Alex sighed, standing up. "We can talk later, Kara," the brunette glanced at her sister's homework. "And I can help you with that if you need it, too."

Kara beamed. "Thanks."

"Mhmm." Alex said as she deposited her mug in the sink before bounding up the stairs.

"Wait, Alex?" Kara called out.

"Yeah?" she yelled back from the top of the steps.

"How far away is Christmas?"

"A little less than two months."

"Okay, thanks for, you know, explaining all of that to me."

"Anytime," Alex said with a smile.

Kara decided that she liked Christmas.

/

On Kara's first Christmas Eve snow fell and coated the yard. It was the first snowfall of the year and Alex took advantage of the weather phenomenon to teach Kara how to make snow angels and snowmen and snowballs. When Alex's hands were sufficiently numb to the point that she couldn't curl her fingers, the sisters retreated inside where they helped prepare Christmas Eve dinner with Eliza and Jerimiah. Later that night, after all the guests had shuffled out Alex and Kara had changed into their new Christmas pajamas—Alex's decorated with snowflakes and Kara's with polar bears—before curling up on the couch with their parents to watch Alex's favorite Christmas movie: _Home Alone_.

While Kara had struggled to wipe a smile from her face the entire day, she felt a surge of guilt as she snuggled against Eliza and thought about Krypton, her dead world and her dead parents. She squeezed her eyes shut, for just one moment she didn't want to think about it. She wanted be happy without all the painful weight of the past, but the thought only made her feel guiltier and tears brimmed her eyes in response. Kara tucked her head closer against Eliza and took a deep breath.

"Are you okay, honey?" Eliza whispered and looked down. Kara nodded, she didn't trust her voice to hide her tears. Eliza must have known something because she dropped her arm down around Kara's shoulder and held her tightly. Some minutes later the youngest Danvers felt her eyelids drooping, until she fell limp with sleep against her foster mother. When Kara woke an hour later as the movie finished, she exchanged goodnights before trudging up the stairs, somehow feeling worse.

She couldn't sleep. Her heart was thundering and every time she closed her eyes she saw Krypton, she saw her parents. It wasn't fair to replace them. It wasn't fair to be happy, was it?

She didn't mean to cry and she didn't mean for her silent tears to turn into loud sobs that she tried to hide underneath her blanket. She didn't mean to wake Alex and she definitely didn't mean to fall off her bed in her haste to hide her cries when Alex entered the room.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Alex asked, immediately kneeling at Kara's side. "Did you have a nightmare?"

" 's nothing," Kara said through a hiccup and kept her head tilted toward the wooden floor.

"It doesn't seem like nothing," Alex said, she reached out and tentatively squeezed Kara's hand. "Come on, you can talk to me."

"You're busy, I don't want to bother you."

Alex almost laughed at that, but she bit her tongue instead. "I'm literally doing nothing, Kara, it's like one in the morning, and you're obviously crying for reason."

"I'm not crying," Kara sniffled.

"Whatever you say," Alex said and stood, extending a hand to her sister. "Come on, get up."

Alex pulled her sister to her feet and sat on Kara's bed, patting the space beside her until the blonde climbed up. Kara crawled over to the corner and tucked a blanket around herself, blinking at Alex. "It's okay, really," Kara said. She seemed to have better control of herself now that Alex was in the room, only taking little gasps of breaths rather than full on sobs that shook her small frame.

Alex rolled her eyes. "You're being ridiculous." She flopped dramatically across the mattress, knowing this was about to turn into a long talk. Kara noted, not for the first time, Alex's weird tendency to be simultaneously intimidating and welcoming. It was confusing. _Was she annoyed or concerned? Both?_

There was still a lot to be learned about Alex Danvers, Kara decided.

"Listen, you look sad," Alex began with a sigh, "and _nobody_ should be sad or alone on Christmas; or sad _and_ alone on Christmas, that's even worse—while I guess ideally people wouldn't be sad ever, but _especially_ not on Christmas."

Kara squinted and tilted her head, trying to follow.

Alex pursed her lips before continuing. "Okay, it's like this: remember a few months ago when you first learned about Christmas and I said being sick on Christmas is one of the worst things ever?"

Kara nodded eagerly.

"Well, being sad is kind of the same thing."

"Oh."

"But it's okay, because we're going to fix it. I'm not leaving until you smile."

Kara made an attempt to grin at Alex through the darkness.

"That was weak. It has to be real or it doesn't count."

"Alex, I'm not really in the mood," Kara said. Her voice sounded pitiful in the night as she stretched out beneath the covers and turned toward the wall, away from Alex.

"No, I know. I'm serious." Alex laid down so her eyes would have been level with Kara's if she turned around. "What's wrong?"

An eternity of silence followed before Kara's voice cracked through the darkness. The tears had returned and the blonde swallowed. "Alex? Is it bad for me to be happy?" she sniffled and her whisper was so strained, so tear-ridden Alex had to stop herself from burying Kara in a hug. She couldn't stand to see people cry.

"No, of course not. Absolutely not." Alex shook her head fiercely. "Why would you think that?"

Kara turned around, looked at her sister with puffy, red eyes. "My parents are dead, Alex. My whole planet is gone and it feels so wrong to smile and laugh and feel good. I feel like I'm betraying them," she finished as her voice cracked.

"No, not at all, Kara," Alex whispered back.

"But—

"No, no, no, hang on. Tell me, honestly—your mom and your dad, would they rather see you crying or smiling?"

"Smiling," Kara answered with a shaky, watery voice.

Alex nodded. "Exactly."

Kara hiccupped and curled her hands beneath her pillow. "It's not that simple."

"Why not?"

A shrug carried her quivering shoulders.

"I can't imagine what you've been going through, but you can't feel bad for being happy. That's not fair to your planet, to your parents, and especially to you."

Kara's lips turned downward into a deeper frown, tears fell like little rivers on her face

"Look, if Earth were to explode right now and only one person survived, I'd hope like hell that he or she would be able to be happy again. No way our lone survivor is gonna be sad all the time, that would suck… or think about it this way, okay? Clark. You wouldn't get on Clark for being happy, would you?"

Kara shook her head.

"So you should give yourself the same courtesy. You're probably going to be sad a lot for a while and you have every right to be, but that means when you're happy it's especially important and you should try to hold onto it for as long as you can." Alex looked at Kara in the darkness, saw moonlight glinting off the tears streaking her sister's cheeks. "It's okay, Kara. Everything you're feeling is okay. You can be happy, we all want you to be happy. It's okay."

Kara nodded and Alex went to hold her sister's hand, but instead the blonde pulled Alex into a hug. They were so close that Alex could feel Kara's shoulders shudder with each hiccup and feel the warm breath of each sob.

Alex didn't know what to do, frozen still with her little sister in her arms. She wished so badly there was something to make everything better for Kara, but she didn't know what, so she hugged the blonde back and didn't complain when Kara's grip was tight enough to leave purple bruises the next day.

"It's okay," she kept repeating until Kara's sobs slowed and she uncurled herself just a little bit.

"Thank you," she said, rubbing a hand across her cheeks.

"It's what sisters are for, you're not alone here, okay?" Alex said and saw a smile flicker across Kara's lips. "There's a smile," the brunette announced, a grin spreading across her own face. "Finally. But don't worry, I can stay until you fall asleep."

Kara felt another smile tug across her lips as she closed her eyes and burrowed beneath the covers, still curled toward Alex. "You can—you can stay the night if you want? Like a sleepover—I've heard a lot about those."

"Sure," Alex said, turning onto her other side.

"Oh, and Alex?"

"Mhmm?" she murmured sleepily.

"I'm thankful you're my sister."

"Wrong holiday, Kara, but ditto." Alex smiled at the sound of Kara giggling softly.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you, too, Kara."

"I'll see you in the morning?"

"I'll be right here."

Kara turned onto her side, sister sleepovers had become her new favorite Danvers tradition.


	31. Chapter 31 - Alex Electrical Powers AU

**A/N:** Big thanks to Starblaze Knight for today's prompt. I've had it outlined since June and I was SO excited to finally write it.

The poll has been updated.

Thanks for all your continual encouragement!

Happy New Year!

Prompt: **An AU where instead of Leslie, it's Alex who is saved from a helicopter (DEO mission) by Supergirl and gains electrical powers. Kara helps Alex with her new abilities and together they save National City from an Alien attack, with sister bonding afterwards of course.**

* * *

 **i.**

"You stay safe, okay?" Kara said, lingering in the hall as Alex climbed the stairs to the rooftop, making her way toward the helipad.

"Of course." Alex pushed the door open and the wind caught her hair, thunder humming low in the sky as dark clouds rolled in.

"I'll see you out there," Kara said, blasting off the roof with her cape billowing behind her as Alex climbed into the helicopter. It wasn't supposed to be too bad, the mission was quick and simple: apprehend the alien before civilian lives were put in danger.

In and out before a raindrop even hit the ground and the storm began.

However, after five minutes in the air the wind began howling against the propeller and whipping between skyscrapers.

J'onn held the second team of helicopters back.

At ten minutes, a crack of thunder pierced the night and lighting split the sky.

J'onn called all units back to base.

"Wait," Alex said, turning to the pilot as the helicopter jerked and rain poured through the sides. "I see it, right there," she pointed toward a shadowing figure. "We can't leave. I'm calling the ground units in."

"With all due respect Agent Danvers, we need to get ou—" Another gust of wind sent the helicopter spiraling, the pilot was sucked out, sent tumbling to the ground.

Supergirl was passing the newly unconscious alien to a group of agents when she heard the man's screams. She shot into the air. All helicopters were supposed to be back, Alex was supposed to be safe, but Kara knew Alex's helicopter, had seen her sister climb in at the DEO as she'd taken off and she saw the same frame peeking through the clouds, thrown around by wind a few hundred feet in the air.

Kara caught the pilot just meters from a collision with the ground and deposited him to a medical unit before hurtling back through the clouds toward Alex. Her heart was pounding, a lump in her throat. The roar of thunder was magnified in her ears, her heightened senses buzzing as she was engulfed by storm, streamlining toward the center of the chaos with only one thing on her mind.

"Alex!"

Supergirl caught sight of her sister again, sped toward the plunging helicopter. "Alex," she screamed again, voice nearly drowned in swirling winds and sparks of lighting and crashes of thunder. "Grab my hand."

Kara's hand bumped Alex's, she curled their fingers together and Kara could hear Alex's heart beating just as fast as her own when a bolt of lightning struck the red of her cape, radiated through her body and was transferred to her sister, jolted in the night.

 **ii.**

Kara wouldn't let go of her sister's hand. Not when Alex lost consciousness and they fell from the sky, not when medics surrounded them and lifted Alex onto a stretcher, rolling her into an ambulance. Nope. She kept their fingers entwined as they pulled into the DEO and she _tried._ She tried so hard to keep them together when the doctors rushed Alex away for tests and treatment. She _fought._ She fought every single lab coat clad individual until J'onn was called in to pry Kara's fingers from Alex's hand, only relenting when a tighter grip would have threatened to snap her sister's metacarpal bones.

So she sat.

She sat in silence as Alex was wheeled in and out, room to room, and until she was finally left where Kara was sitting. Alex was in a coma, they'd said, but she just might be able to hear Kara.

So she talked.

For hours she whispered to Alex, pleas for her to wake up, to open her eyes, to be okay. Because Kara couldn't survive if her sister wasn't okay.

"Come on, Alex," Kara murmured, words slurred by fatigue. "You gotta wake up, I need you."

She fell asleep whispering, hand fitted around Alex's, sitting at her side.

 **iii.**

Alex lurched awake with a jolt, gaze tearing across her surroundings, some foreign energy alive and buzzing in her chest. It was gone before she could even pinpoint it, dissipating the moment warm hands engulfed her own and the sound of her sister's voice cracked through the clouds in Alex's brain.

"Hey, Alex," Kara whispered, straightening up in her seat and leaning closer. "Hey, you're okay. It's okay."

"How long was I out?"

"Three days," Kara said, nearly choking on the words. "How-how much do you remember?"

"The helicopter, the lightning," she waved her hands and smiled. "Most of it."

"I'm s—"

"No way. I'm cutting you off. This wasn't your fault, Kara."

The blonde opened her mouth to protest but Alex cut her off again. "If it weren't for you I would be dead, okay? Remember that."

"Okay, but still, I didn't mean—" Alex put her hand over Kara's mouth, laughing. "Hey!" Kara murmured behind her sister's grasp, poking her tongue out to lick Alex's fingers.

"Ew!" Alex screamed and pulled her hand away, watching as a smug smile appeared across Kara's cheeks. "You're gross."

"I'm _effective_."

"Yeah, well, you also seem tired and hungry. Have you been here the whole three days?"

Kara shrugged.

"That's a yes," Alex said as doctors began to enter the room. "Go home—sleep a little, grab something to eat, make sure you still have a job at CatCo," she grinned. "I'm _joking,"_ she said in response to the sudden concern that splashed across Kara's face. "But go, take care of yourself. I'll still be here, I'm sure." She gave a glare at the medical equipment attached to her body and a smile fell over Kara's lips in response.

"Are you sure?"

Alex nodded. "Very."

"I love you," Kara said as she stood and squeezed her sister's hand.

"I love you, too."

 **iv.**

Lightning. It was the first thing on Alex's mind when her eyes bolted open in the DEO medical corridor, alone in her room. Void of doctors and light, except… _except_ for the silvery blue flickers of lightning spilling from her fingertips like water from a river. The electricity quivered, static and snapping, before it popped and the room was flooded in darkness with the exception of humming medical equipment and the stars shining beyond her window.

Alex sat wide-eyed, breath hitched in her throat as her gaze shot around the room and her mind scrambled. Her fingers tousled the contents scattered across her bedside table, knocking over a glass of water in her attempt to find her phone. When her hand finally met the device a sigh of relief parted her lips and Alex dialed Kara's number without thought. It was instinct. It was security. It was habit.

"Alex?" Kara's tired voice filled her ear.

Alex swallowed and closed her eyes, tears slipped from the corners. "Kara? Kara, I need you to get here as fast as you can. Something's wrong."

 **v.**

It took five minutes for Kara to launch herself from bed, change, and fly over to the DEO. The wind became abrasive at her top speed and she dipped into the building gratefully edged into view, skin pink and hair a mess. She followed the memorized path to the medical unit, well known from repeated exposure.

Kara furrowed her brows when she approached Alex's room and found it nearly empty—there were no doctors bustling around the brunette, yelling and prodding like they usually did when something was wrong and health was at risk.

Instead, it was still, and Kara felt her breath catch in her throat.

Only Alex was in the room, covered in the white sheets as she had been earlier, but now her eyes were set open, assertive and fearful.

"Alex, what happened?" Kara asked, dropping into the seat beside Alex's bed. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" The blonde scrutinized her sister, examining for skeletal cracks with her x-ray vision and listening with her super hearing. The only abnormalities her senses documented were a thundering elevated heartrate and quick, short gasps of breath that rattled from the agent's lungs.

"Alex, say something, you're scaring me."

Another trembling breath slipped from Alex. "I-I'm scaring myself…"

"What does that mean?" Kara whispered, slipping her hand around Alex's.

The brunette yanked her palm away and pretended not to see the hurt that flashed across her sister's features. "I… it's—it's not you. I—I don't want to hurt you. It's easier for me to—to show you, than to explain." Her voice shook.

Before Kara could respond, Alex had raised her hands, contorted her fingers slightly above the blankets. Within seconds light flared from her skin, strong and white. It crackled. She curled her fingers closed and the electricity vanished.

Alex kept her gaze down, until the silence stretched between them bore a hole of worry in her stomach so painful she couldn't ignore it any longer. She peeked at her sister, looking up through dark lashes to find Kara's face twisted in an expression of shock and awe, mouth open, eyes gawking.

She started to talk and faltered with her words. "That… that." Alex felt her heart cracking, tears threatening to streak her cheeks.

Kara's face cracked into a smile and she shook her head. "That was awesome," she declared, meeting Alex's eyes and watching as the brunette's gaze shifted from worry to confusion to relief.

"It…wait, _really?"_

"Absolutely." Kara grinned and took Alex's hand. "You won't hurt me."

Alex tried to pull loose. "I might by mistake. I don't have a lot of control. You—you don't know. You can't be sure."

"Well that didn't stop you from holding my hand when I first came here and could literally snap your bones on accident."

Alex shrugged. "I trusted you. It was worth the risk."

"And I trust you. You're worth the risk, too." Kara said and brought their linked fingers up to her face. She pressed a kiss to the back of Alex's hand before brushing a strand of hair off the brunette's face. "You are going to be just fine."

 **vi.**

"Not quite, let's go again," Kara said three weeks later, extending a hand to Alex who had flopped onto the padded ground a moment earlier in the green k training room with the dial just slightly turned up.

"Karaaa," she groaned, but grasped the hand and let herself be pulled up.

"One more time, you're so close."

"No. I'm not," Alex muttered.

"Yes you are, just concentrate. Aim for the target."

Alex rolled her eyes, but set her right leg back, getting in stance and turning her fingers toward the replica human figure across the room. She took a deep breath in hopes of regaining control before what felt like her twenty thousandth attempt.

The lightning first spread from her fingertips toward the target, but then the electricity flared out reaching the figure while simultaneously snapping against Kara's abdomen. "Ow! _Shit!"_ the blonde murmured, jumping back when the lightning released her from its grasp. She stumbled for a moment, wrapping a loose arm around her waist, gaze trained down until the slamming of the door yanked her attention.

Alex was gone.

Kara followed the sound of footsteps down the hall and when she lost them she used her super hearing to find Alex's beating heart two flights of stairs below and one corridor to the left. The brunette sunk against the floor, back pressed into a corner of the vacant wing.

"Hey," Kara said softly, dropping into a sitting position across the hall from Alex so their feet almost touched.

"Go away," Alex muttered, voice tinged with tears and face hidden in her hands. "I'm just gonna hurt you more."

Kara moved from her position and Alex's heart jerked painfully until the blonde slide next to her sister and tugged her into her arms. "Never," Kara whispered and pressed a kiss into Alex's hair. "I was only able to do _this_ —to cope with powers, to live on Earth, to do anything here—because of you. And I am _not_ abandoning you now. Nothing in the universe could make that happen. I have you and you have me. Always."

"I can't do it," Alex whispered and squeezed her fingers tightly around Kara's cape as she held her close.

"Of course you can. Now get up, we're not leaving until you get it right because my Alex doesn't give up and you're still my Alex."

The agent took one last moment held tight in her sister's arms, warm and safe, before nodding. "Okay," she whispered. Kara wiped Alex's eyes and stood up, extending another hand to the brunette.

Alex sniffled and followed her sister's lead. A smile spread across her red cheeks. "Let's do this."

"Aaaand she's back," Kara said, grinning and looping her arm through Alex's.

 **vii.**

"I need you both out there, stat! The aliens are too strong for the unit we sent out, they're losing ground." J'onn yelled through the DEO comms to Kara and Alex as soon as he got word of an alien group wreaking havoc across National City, two months after Alex first gained her electrical abilities.

"You ready for this?" Kara asked, grinning at her sister outside the DEO headquarters. "It's your first alien ambush with powers! Look at you growing up."

"You're maybe a little too enthusiastic about this," Alex said with a laugh as Kara grabbed her and launched them into the sky.

They landed in the center of the fight, surrounded by the DEO agents who'd been engaged in battle for the past hour. The majority of aliens had been rendered unconscious, lay scattered across the city street but the remaining two were the largest and had single handedly carried on the fight, the obvious leaders of the group. Their blue, rough skin stretched across massive frames twenty feet tall as they flung agents to the ground.

With each collision the cracking of bone filled Kara's ears. One alien propelled itself into the sky with powerful bounds, each leap splintering the asphalt as it moved toward a more populated area where families were gathered and spending the afternoon, oblivious to the impending alien attack.

"Alex, I'll get that one. You stay here and take care of the first one," Supergirl yelled before disappearing into the distance and leaving Alex alone. The brunette turned around, frozen for a moment, watching as the creature ripped a hundred year old tree from the ground and snapped it in half before swinging it at buildings.

 _The bigger they are, the harder they fall._ From somewhere deep inside came the once forgotten words her soccer coach used to remind her of back in high school, when she was younger and playing up with older, bigger kids. _Play to your advantage, Alex_ he'd tell her _turn it around._

Alex took a deep, shuddery breath. She could do it, she could do it, she could do it.

"Go," she screamed to the DEO agents, watching as they took advantage of the distraction to retreat.

The alien made a horrible yell as it tossed the tree and swept with its bare hands. Alex sprinted closer, until it was just in range and sent sparks from her fingers. They crackled and fizzled out.

The creature faced her, distracted from the civilians it'd been terrorizing. A laugh bubbled from within the alien. "You stupid human," it growled and took a slow step closer, its form blocked out all sunlight reaching Alex.

With a racing heart and shaking hands she tried again but the lightning just snapped and disappeared. Kara floated in from the distance, the other alien unconscious some blocks away.

"Supergirl, get him," Alex whispered, knowing her sister would be able to hear.

"No," Kara screamed back, switching direction as she heard the voice of a crying kid below her. "Remember what we practiced. Breathe. You can do it."

As Kara was occupied with flying the lost child away from the area the last alien turned toward the blonde, looming over the red cape and preparing to slam Supergirl and the kid against the ground.

"Stop!" Alex yelled as she raised her hands and bolts of lightning shot from her palms, colliding with the blue mass and sending the creature crashing backward away from Kara. His muscles contracted and he lay motionless on the ground as DEO agents surrounded him, applying restraints.

Alex collapsed, falling backward into a sitting position in the middle of the street, eyes wide and lips curling to resemble a smile as her hands met the concrete and the scene filled her sight.

The child in Kara's arms looked around before making eye contact with Supergirl. "She just saved us," the little girl whispered, gaze shiny and bright as she peered at Alex.

"Yeah," Kara said with a smile. "She did."

 **viii.**

"You were amazing," Kara said as Alex entered the blonde's apartment that night.

Alex just grinned and set a box of pizza on the counter. Kara whipped around from the couch. "You just got even more amazing," she declared, floating in all her excitement and using super speed to grab a slice and shove it into her mouth. "How do you feel?" the blonde asked through a mouthful of food.

"Really good." Alex beamed and grabbed her own piece. "Like I can do anything. I could go again right now."

Kara laughed. "Well, maybe you should rest a little before next time."

"Nah," Alex shook her head. "I'm learning from you."

The blonde rolled her eyes with a smile. "You were incredible, Alex, really," Kara said and pulled her sister into a hug before returning to the couch with the box of pizza in hand. "Now come sit with me," she patted the seat beside her with her elbow. "We've have lots of TV to catch up on and lots to talk about."

Alex smiled and sat next to Kara, pulling a knee toward her chest and leaning against her sister as they flicked on the television.

"I'm proud of you," Kara whispered after some time passed and Alex's head rested sleepily on her shoulder, eyes fluttering closed.

Alex smiled. "That's my line."

Kara shrugged and ran a hand over Alex's hair. "Sharing is caring, and it's true. You were really phenomenal."

"Thanks, Kara," Alex murmured and snuggled beneath the blanket. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Ditto," Kara said. "I guess we need each other."

Alex curled her hand around Kara's. "I wouldn't want it any other way."


	32. Chapter 32 - Kara & Maggie Get Kidnapped

**A/N:** I'm so busy I have no idea how I even got this chapter out. But it's here and I've learned that I have a deep weakness for Maggie big sister-ing Kara.

Quick notes: thank you, poll = updated, thank you again. Also, big thank you to HocruxHunter for today's prompt: **Kara and Maggie get kidnapped but Kara gets injured saving Maggie and Maggie thinks that Alex will be mad at her.**

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

* * *

Wind whipped across Kara's cheeks as she dipped through the sky and managed a final punch to the chest of a large alien with silvery reflective skin and sharpened spikes. The creature jerked back and fell unconscious into the street where citizens had evacuated from just mere minutes earlier.

"Good one, Supergirl," Maggie said with a smile when Kara landed beside her.

Kara grinned. "Yeah? You like it?" She shot into the air and curled through a quick flip before coming back down. Ever since Maggie had learned Kara's true identity a week ago, the blonde had been ecstatic about it, especially now that she had grown closer with the detective over the past few months of game nights, and movie nights, and accidently crashing Maggie and Alex's date nights when Kara was oblivious of their plans and in need of Alex.

"I do," Maggie laughed and put an arm on Kara's shoulder. "Now settle down, Little Danvers, I don't need Alex getting on me because you accidently crashed into a wall on my watch."

Kara giggled, she was _so_ happy Alex found someone like Maggie. "How's she doing?" Kara asked, referring to broken ribs that had forced J'onn to send Alex home and stay there for the next few days before she recovered.

"She's… well, you know Alex, she's stubborn."

Kara laughed again. "That's true. Hey, J'onn, are we done here?" She turned to the director as she passed.

He nodded. "Nice work today, Supergirl. I'll see you tomorrow barring any more emergencies tonight."

"Got it," Kara said and scrambled off to fall back in step with Maggie.

"Do you want to come over and see her?"

"Do you guys have plans tonight? I don't want to impose."

"Nah, you're always welcome over, Little Danvers. I just told Alex we'd be home in forty five minutes, I have to stop at the precinct real quick," Maggie said, throwing an arm around the blonde's shoulder. She had to reach a bit, stretching over as a result of Kara's height.

"Thanks, Tiny Detective," Kara teased and Maggie playfully jabbed her in the side.

"You better watch yourself."

"Mhmm,"Kara murmured as they turned into a back alley and the sun slipped beneath the horizon, light ebbing away to darkness. She was just about to tell Maggie she needed a second (a _literal_ second) to change from her super suit, when something pierced her side. Kara gaze shifted and her hand shot down. She flinched, doubling forward when the recognizable burn and ache of green kryptonite spread through her body.

"Hey, Kara," Maggie said, her voice soft as she instantly moved closer and put a hand on Kara's back to stabilize her. "You okay?"

Kara used her flickering x-ray vision to register a group of people on the other side of the corner, guns positioned in their hands and vehicle full of duct tape and cuffs and weapons and kryptonite. "Maggie, get out of here. You need to leave now," Kara managed. Her words were tense, voice was no way she was letting someone Alex loved this much get hurt. It would crush Kara, but it could destroy Alex.

Maggie shook her head fiercely. If anything happened to Little Danvers she would never forgive herself and neither would Alex. "I'm not leaving you, Kara. What's wrong? What hap—"

Kara flinched forward again as the men activated something in the kryptonite dart lodged in her side. The blonde felt tears burning in her eyes, felt Maggie's hand cover her own trembling fingers clutching her side.

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay," the detective whispered as she glanced around, trying to find the source of the kryptonite she saw glowing from Kara's skin.

"No, Maggie go—you have to go, you have to get out of here, you—" Supergirl slipped from Maggie's arms and fell unconscious against the asphalt. Before the detective could kneel beside her someone had pressed a rag against her mouth. She flailed and struggled, hitting her attacker until she couldn't fight the heaviness of her eyelids and she too, fell limp into the street.

/

Alex felt the inkling of concern seep through her when Maggie and Kara were thirty minutes late. Then an hour passed, and she dragged herself off the couch, ribs screaming in protest as a yelp split her lips. She grabbed her phone, sending a text to both women. Thirty minutes without a reply compelled her legs to begin pacing the length of her apartment as minutes ticked by. She called and then she called again.

At three hours she pulled out her phone one more time and was relieved to fine at least _someone_ was answering her calls.

"Winn?"

"Yeah, hey Alex. What's up?"

"Have you seen Kara or Maggie?"

Winn twirled in his chair at the DEO, tapping at his computer. "Not since the fight a few hours ago. Why?"

"Listen, I'm coming in. Can you put J'onn on the line?"

"Aren't you, like, not supposed step foot in the DEO for three days _at least?"_

" _Now, Winn,"_ she practically growled as she flinched and simultaneously wrestled her coat over her pulsating ribs while stepping into her boots.

/

"Maggie," Kara whispered, blinking in the darkness as the previous events flooded her memory. She made an attempt to sit up but her arm quivered and she could tell, as her elbow buckled beneath her, that kryptonite was still inside her, stealing her powers and strength.

Kara scrunched her face, features contorting in pain as she propped herself up and crawled the few feet toward Maggie. "Maggie," she whispered again, shaking the detective gently.

A soft sound emerged from Maggie and she sat up, squinting at the figure in front of her. "Kara?"

"Yeah, hey, are you okay?"

Maggie blinked a few times and did a quick mental check. She felt sore, bruised at the worst. "Yeah, I'm fine. But what about you?" Maggie glanced over Kara in the dim light. "You're lookin' a little rough over there."

"It's the kryptonite," she grimaced as she shifted positions, felt Maggie's soft touch wrap around her abdomen and help her sit up. "Thank," Kara murmured. "It dampens my powers and can take them away, makes me sick and vulnerable."

"Well then don't pull any stupid heroic shit while we're here, all right? Let me handle that today." Maggie squeezed Kara's hand and when the blonde looked up, the other woman was giving her a warm smile.

Kara laughed, eyes closing, tilting her head back against the cold, metal wall. "No promises." She meant it.

/

"Anything?" Alex asked, leaning up against a desk with her foot tapping and hands crossed over her chest.

"Nothing," Winn said and J'onn sighed as Winn continued. "Kara's comms went off a block from the scene of the fight and haven't come back on since."

Alex rubbed a hand across her forehead. "And Maggie never made it to the precinct before she and Kara were supposed to show up at my place, so it's likely that they were taken and it's likely that they were taken together… Winn, can you get into the surveillance feed from the buildings on that street?"

"I'm insulted that you even have to ask."

..

"Right there, pause!" Alex reached forward and pointed at the screen. "That's them."

J'onn squinted at the vehicles and armed criminals, each weapon branded with a silver logo. "I know who that is."

Alex spun on her heel to face him, wincing slightly and arm raising instinctively to loosely wrap around her ribs. "Who?"

Her voice was hard and steely and Winn had to fight the urge to flinch.

"An anti-alien hate group—a bunch of cowardly extremists that lash out with violence."

"Do you know where they are?"

"I have a decent idea. They've been relatively predictable in the past."

/

"Don't touch her!" Maggie yelled as masked figures stormed their way toward Kara where she was hunched over painfully on the floor, the strength of their kryptonite embedded in her skin burned and took her breath away. Her vision blurred; the room spun; she felt like she'd be sick. But Maggie was up and screaming and playing hero and Kara couldn't let her get hurt.

She pushed herself forward with fingers caked in her own dried blood.

"Move," the man said, stepping forward and shoving Maggie.

She pushed back.

"Maggie, don't," Kara choked out, fear rising like bile in her throat.

"Listen to the alien," another figure said. "At least it agrees."

Kara blocked out his words. "Don't get hurt, don't provoke them."

"I won't let you touch her."

The man pulled a knife from his pocket, admiring the edge before shifting his gaze back to Maggie with a grin. "I don't really give a damn what you think you're going to 'let' me do. Your life is worth less than shit to me if you're going to stand here and protect this alien—this disease infecting _our_ planet."

Kara's stomach clenched when Maggie didn't falter and stood her ground, keeping her posture straight while her hands quivered behind her back in their restrains and Kara's field of sight. While fear coiled in the detective's chest, her thoughts shifted to Kara and the sting of the man's words and how much she would give to take Kara away from this and hug her and make the jabs disappear.

It was suddenly, in that moment, which Maggie felt she understood Kara and Alex's relationship, felt she understood the brunette herself on an entirely different dimension, because deep inside the detective was a desire, a knowledge, that she would do anything to keep Kara safe as she saw these men spit words like weapons, saw them tear apart the alien who possessed more humanity than they ever could combined.

The detective saw Kara the way Alex so often talked about her. She saw through the smiles and sunniness and Supergirl strength.

"I swear to god, if you touch her you will regret it."

"Make me," the man said, stepping forward so a foot separated him and the detective. "I'll kill you first and then have a little fun torturing E.T., before I kill it too."

Maggie spit in his face and he lunged forward, knife poised between his dirt caked fingers and aimed for the detective's heart.

Panic jolted through Kara's veins like an electrical shock and the adrenaline gave the last spark of energy needed to exhaust her powers. She sprung forward, knocking out the two smaller masked men before just barely shoving her body between Maggie and the cold, sharp metal of the knife.

She forced herself to stay standing, felt the knife like a thud, a pressure or punch. The man stumbled back in surprise, before shoving her to the ground and a snap shook the air. He kicked her ribs before he turned around and dragged the men out and she could hear his voice reverberating through the hall as he retreated. "The kryptonite didn't work," he screamed and she caught the sound of scuffling.

"Kara, your powers came back! Talk about good timing; that was awesome." Maggie grinned, moving to help Kara up.

"Maggie, I—" her voice was breathy and soft, a wheeze burning through her lungs from her position crouched between her elbows and knees. She yelped. "Oh, god, oh Rao." Tears burned in her eyes as blood gushed across her fingers, spilling from her palm to the floor.

Maggie's veins turned ice cold. "Oh God, oh Kara, Kara," she dropped beside the younger woman and gently turned her over, so she was lying on her back. Maggie yanked off her leather jacket, folding it quickly and placing it beneath Kara's head. "Okay, you're okay," she breathed out a stuttered exhale. The brunette gently rubbed a hand over Kara's hair. She let her gaze shift from the hyperventilating, paling cheeks. "Oh Kara, the knife." She didn't mean to say it out loud. The blonde's gaze shifted down.

"No, don't look," she whispered harshly and tears spilled from Kara's eyes, drawing watery paths down her temples. "Hey, hey, let's think of something else, okay?" Maggie said and brushed the tears off Kara's cheeks.

"God, Alex is gonna kill me, huh?"

Kara laughed softly before sputtering and gapsing for air. "If I—If I don't ya know, just remind Alex that I love her, okay? That she did more for me than I could ever thank her for."

Maggie's tears dripped from her own eyes into Kara's hair, dampening the golden blonde to brown. "Hey, don't talk like that. I can't have you getting all dramatic on me, Little Danvers. Now can you tell me if you're hurt anywhere else?"

Kara swallowed and gave a nod. "My ankle and ribs."

Maggie shifted down, gently peeling off Kara's boot and feeling the blonde tense beneath her, a painful hiss penetrating the air. "Sorry, I'm sorry it's almost off." Maggie looked at the ankle, saw the bruised, swelling skin. Broken, she determined. Definitely broken. She ran her fingers over the ribs—bruised, maybe cracked. But none of it seemed life-threatening at the moment so she turned her attention back to the stab wound.

Maggie detached Supergirl's cape, pulled it gently from beneath the blonde before pressing the fabric against the gash seeping blood across Kara's abdomen.

Kara flinched, jerking back so hard her head slammed the concrete. Maggie bit her lip, holding the pressure steady with one hand while using the other to thread her fingers with Kara. "Hey, look at me," she said softly, shaking the blonde's hand until she opened the eyes she'd previously had squeezed shut. "You're okay. I know it's hard but you've gotta try to think about something else. You wanna talk to me? Just say anything."

Kara sniffled. "Okay."

"Good girl," Maggie said gently squeezing Kara's hand and simultaneously applying more pressure to her abdomen.

"Snapper gave me a new article to work on, I get the column all to myself. I'm almost done and I really like it."

"That's awesome," Maggie said, looking over to smile at Kara.

The blonde nodded. "Maggie?"

"Mhmm?"

"You know how Alex likes to act all tough but she's really actually very soft on the inside?"

Maggie smiled. "Yeah."

"When we were in high school she had these combat boots that she liked to wear because she thought they made her look tough, but I was the only one that knew she always had on these dorky socks underneath."

"Like what?" Maggie asked, producing a soft laugh in hopes of soothing Kara.

"Like cats and microscopes—those were the worst, even _I_ was embarrassed by them."

"Maggie?"

"Hmm?" she hummed again.

Kara swallowed hard, more silent tears glossing her skin. "I'm scared."

"It's okay," Maggie said, even though her heart was racing and her muscles were burning with the effort to stop Kara's bleeding. "You'll be fine. Ya know, I had a partner get stabbed a few years ago, it was one of my first few months on the job."

"Wh-what happened?" Kara asked through hiccups, squeezing her eyes closed and tightening her grip on Maggie's fingers.

"He was fine. It took a bit of screaming, an ambulance ride, and a few stitches to get him to chill out but he came out same as before with the addition of a three inch scar and ego twice as big as before."

Kara laughed, then bent to the side, flinching as the movement jarred her injuries.

"Hey, there, take it easy," Maggie said and helped Kara lie straight again just as the doors to the room swung open and agents in dark tactile flooded the room. Yelling and footsteps filled the air and Maggie felt Kara tense beneath her touch.

The brunette gave Kara's hand one last squeeze before standing, putting herself between Kara and the agents. "DEO! Clear!" she heard someone call and as her gaze shifted through the sea of black clothes she caught familiar eyes.

"Maggie!" Alex yelled and tugged off her helmet, pushing through the barricade of people and throwing her arms around the detective. "God, Maggie, I'm so glad you're okay." She pulled back, noted the stoic look across Maggie's features, the blood on her hands.

Alex's heart pounded and she scrutinized Maggie's form for injuries but found none. "Kara," she breathed suddenly. "Kara! Where is she?"

Maggie tilted her head behind her to where agents were already gathered around Supergirl. Alex froze for a moment, eyes caught on Kara's broken limb and blood soaked clothes and the knife jutting from her lower abdomen, before she launched herself into action, calling quick orders for a med evac before dropping down at Kara's side.

"Hey, pretty girl," she whispered softly, brushing Kara's hair off her forehead.

The blonde's gaze shot toward Alex's voice, saw her sister next to her and Maggie behind Alex. Instantly Kara felt her heartrate ease. "Alex," Kara murmured and her voice was twisted in a sob that choked its way through her throat.

"Hey, hey now, you're gonna be okay." Alex brushed another hand over Kara's forehead and leaned down to press a kiss against the skin her fingers had just ghosted. "Just hang on a little longer. I'm here now."

Kara nodded.

"Maggie took good care of you while this was happening, huh?"

Kara nodded again, biting back the tears that sprung at the comfort her sister provided. "Thank you," Alex mouthed to the detective.

Maggie glanced back, awestruck. "Alex, I—"

Alex shook her head. "Accidents happen and I know Kara has a hero thing that's gonna get her in trouble someday, I'm just glad you were here with her."

Maggie opened her mouth as if to protest, but Alex shook her head again. "I mean it. I don't blame you."

The agent turned her gaze back down to her sister. "How're you doing? You okay still?"

Kara's chin bobbed in a small, weak nod.

"All right, good job," Alex smoothed Kara's hair and turned around as the medics entered. "Here we go, we're gonna take you home, okay? We're gonna go home."

/

A few hours passed before Kara was deemed completely safe, stitched and bandaged and passed out in a hospital bed at the DEO with Maggie on one side and Alex on the other. It took another hour for her to come into consciousness but once she did a sleepy smile tugged its way across her tired features at the people seated beside her.

"Hey," she murmured, trying to sit up.

"Let me help you," Alex said and leaned forward to help her sister straighten up. "You feeling good?"

"Feelin' great," she grinned, the removal of green kryptonite and presence of sunlamps was starting to push her powers into action, slowly making her feel a bit better. "And hungry."

"Well good thing we got pizza," Maggie smirked and opened up the box behind her, filling a plate and passing it to Kara.

"Go easy, Kar. You're still mostly confined to human limitations right now."

Kara pouted but took a slow bite. "What was I like when I got stabbed?" she asked Maggie. "I barely remember it."

"You took it like a champ. Barely even cried."

Kara, laughs around her piece of pizza, shaking her head earnestly, looking first at Maggie then Alex. "I sobbed like a baby."

Maggie gently nudged Kara's leg. "That's not true, you're made of some tough stuff, Little Danvers. I think I cried more than you did."

Alex laughed. "Kara, I do think sobbing like a baby might be a natural response to being stabbed."

Kara flashed a cheeky grin. "How would you know? Have you been stabbed before? I think this takes me to a whole new level of badass."

"I wish you'd stop climbing those levels," Alex said, smiling down at her sister. "It scares me too much."

"I'll drink to that," Maggie agreed and she and Alex clinked their bottles of water over Kara's hospital bed.

Kara wrinkled her nose, curling beneath the blanket.

"We love you," Maggie said and Alex nodded in her direction. "We do."

Kara smiled, looking up at them through sleepy eyes. "I love you guys, too."

Alex brushed her fingers through Kara's hair and the blonde leaned into the touch, pushing her finished pizza to the side. "Will stay with me?"

Alex nodded. "Of course."

"Good," Kara murmured, eyes falling closed. "You can come up here," she added, arm emerging from the sheets to pat the space next to her. "You too, Maggie."

Alex shifted onto the bed, wrapping an arm around her sister and holding her close. "Kara, this bed is a bit small—Maggie, you don't have to if you don't want to."

"It's all right," Maggie lowered herself beside Kara. "Little Danvers likes to cuddle like you do, Alex."

Alex blushed and rolled her eyes.

"Be careful of your ribs, Alex," Kara muttered, half asleep with a smile on her face as she snuggled between her sister and the detective.

"You be careful of your stab wound _and_ your broken ankle _and_ your ribs," Alex said back.

"Yeah, well mine will be gone by tomorrow," Kara said.

"She's got a point, Danvers," Maggie said and Alex grumbled.

Kara felt the two women entwine their hands over her stomach. "Thanks for coming and getting me, Alex," she whispered. "And thanks for staying with me, Maggie."

"Anytime, Little Danvers," Maggie said.

"Ditto," Alex said, pressing a kiss into Kara's hair. "Now get some sleep. I love you."

The warmth in Kara's heart matched the warmth spreading across her body as she cuddled between the two women. "I love you," she murmured, feeling her grasps on awareness fading. "Both of you."


	33. Chapter 33 - 1x07 AU, Kara Gets Shot

**A/N:** Thanks for your response on the last chapter! Also, the poll has been updated.

Prompt from OrwellHuxZam (thanks for sending it in!): **The robbery scene in 1x07 goes wrong, resulting in Kara being shot.**

I think I have a thing for Maggie comforting crying Danvers sisters.

So this is more 'inspired' by 1x07 than set directly in it, because I took creative liberties to change a few things… 1. Maggie is here (duh, I love her), 2. James knows about the DEO, 3. The Jemm alien thing (?) plot is kind of shoved to the side a little ( _a lot_ ) so that Alex can be where I need her to be. Okay, I think that's all. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

The gun goes off before anyone can react, bullet piercing the air, spitting Kara's skin, and lodging itself in her abdomen. She lowers a shaking hand to the hole in her side, blood pouring between her fingers and painting the floor.

She furrows her brows and her eyes move back up to meet the gunman, whose gaze is trained, unblinking, toward the wound in Kara's side. The firearm drops from his hands and clatters against the ground and he is gone, sprinting out of the building with a choked 'I'm sorry.' James makes a move to chase him, but then Kara falls against the ground with a sharp thud of her body collapsing and he drops to her side instead.

"I—I got shot," she mutters. Her gaze is unfocused as she speaks and stares somewhere beyond James. She blinks hard. "I'm—I'm bleeding."

"I know," he says and hovers above her. "This is going to hurt, Supergirl," James mutters, pressing a towel from the storeowner against Kara's abdomen. She flinches, a yelp filling the air. The pain burns through her body until it's all she can feel. She grits her teeth as James pushes harder and tugs his phone from his pocket with the other and contacting the DEO to inform them that Supergirl is down. "Medics are on their way," he says calmly and Kara nods.

"Alex-?"

"They haven't contacted her yet, there's a situation at headquarters and they can't reach her. But she'll be there when you arrive, they assured me that."

"Is she—is she okay?" Kara chokes out.

"Yeah, Supergirl, she's fine."

Kara nods, another gasp burns through her lungs as James applies more pressure. "I'm sorry," he says gently. "Just hold on a little longer."

From the other side of the street, Maggie had heard the gunshot while patrolling the city after the precinct had sent out a memo that all detectives were needed following the earthquake. She followed the noise, feet carrying her across the street until she enters the store and sees Supergirl gushing blood onto the tile floor.

Her heart sinks, stomach clenching. _Kara._

"Hey, kid," she murmurs as she rushes to the blonde's side, kneeling next to James. He looks just as shocked as the youngest Danvers, whose face is pulled in pain, skin paling. Maggie needs to keep Kara calm, she needs to get them out of here.

"Maggie?" Kara asks, her voice breathy and weak, eyes seeking out her sister's girlfriend.

She moves into Kara's view and the blonde instantly feels a bit better, like a piece of the protection and comfort Alex provides has been replicated in Maggie. "Yeah, hey. What happened?" she asks, eyes looking toward James.

"Robbery gone wrong. She blew out her powers earlier."

Maggie nods, looking down when she feels Kara's hand reaching out and knocking against her own. The detective opens her palm and curls her fingers around Kara's, giving a gentle squeeze. "You're going to be fine, sweetie, okay? Just breathe with me." Maggie brushes a piece of hair off Kara's forehead. "No way I'm letting Little Danvers go this easily."

Maggie looks at James. "The road is blocked. We need to carry her a block or two south. I take it you called this in already?"

He nods.

"Send them our location. The easiest route is just behind us, I was out there a second ago, but we need to move fast so we can meet the medical team when they arrive. You got her?"

"Yeah," James says, slipping one arm under Kara's knees and the other beneath her shoulder blades. "You okay, Supergirl?" he asks as he eases her off the ground until he and Maggie are standing and Kara's secure in his hold.

She nods, gaze frantically scanning the room as more pain rips through her abdomen and a gasp escapes in response. Maggie notices and threads her fingers back around Kara's. "Hey, Kar," she whispers softly, to avoid any bystanders to catch Supergirl's identity. "I know it hurts. I know it hurts _a lot._ But I know you're stronger than it and you're going to be okay and pretty soon there are going to be a bunch of doctors and Alex will be there and they're going to stitch you up until you're good as new."

Kara squeezes her eyes closed and tears drip from the corners. "I'm… I'm bl-bleeding. There-there's s-so much blood."

Maggie yells to clear the path, shaking off gawking citizens to help James carry Kara, before she returns her attention to the shivering blonde. Kara writhes in pain, turns her face against James' chest and pushes it against him. Her breath is thready and strained, wheezing inhales and exhales that scorch her skin with each movement.

Maggie closes her eyes for a minute and she's overcome with how difficult it is to see Kara in so much pain. The detective bites her quivering lower lip and tucks her hands into her pocket to keep herself from shaking them.

"Kara, I'm so sorry, but I need to reapply pressure, so how about we make a deal? With one hand, I need to press down on your abdomen, but I'm going to give you the other to hold if you want and you can squeeze as hard as you need. Sound good?"

Maggie receives a faint, involuntary whimper in response as James maneuvers the pair around debris lining the street and Kara is jolted.

"I'm sorry, Kara," James says gently.

" 's okay," Kara mumbles and her voice is laced with tears. "You can do it Maggie."

The other woman nods, moving as close as possible to Kara without interfering with James' gait. "Hand?" she offers, extending her palm to the blonde. Kara takes it, tries to find a pulse—a heartbeat—that will calm her.

With her other hand, Maggie presses down just as they turn the corner and Kara yelps in response, vision blurring and heartrate increasing. She grasps Maggie's hand tighter until her groan fades.

"Good girl," the detective encourages. "Keep holding on."

Kara squirms and squeezes again. "You're doing great, we're almost there," Maggie whispers soothingly, she wishes she could run a hand over Kara's hair, rub circles on her back the way she has seen Alex do so many times before and have the same instant calming effect. But when it comes to Kara, no one is like Alex.

"I see them," Maggie tells James as she pushes up on her tiptoes to see over a van. "Right ahead."

/

Alex walks out of the briefing room into a flurry of lab coats and brisk paces tearing through the halls. "GSW… page a surgeon stat" "prep an OR" "Ma'am can you hear me" "Stay with me" Their speech ricochets back and forth through the sterile white walls, rebounds off Alex.

She furrows her brows. "What's wrong? Who's there?" she asks and tries to push her way between the doctors to catch a glimpse of the figure on the stretcher, but a stray lab coat clad elbow jostles her back. Just before the cluster disappears between two swinging doors one doctor glances over and shoots Alex a sympathetic look that makes the brunette throw her hands up in frustration as the group disappears behind the doors.

She rolls her eyes, turning around to see Maggie at the other end of the hall, with James on her heels, running after the medics. Their clothes are drenched in blood, a deep crimson that blooms across the fabric of their shirts. Alex's stomach flips, dread settling sickly in her abdomen as their shoes smear bloody footprints across the floor.

It takes a moment for James and Maggie to notice Alex, gaze finally shifting her way. Alex reaches out, curls her fingers around Maggie's wrist and pulls her over. "What happened? Who's hurt?"

"Kara," Maggie murmurs and Alex's stomach hurts when she realizes the blood covering the pair, now smudged across her own palm and filling the creases of her skin, belongs to her sister.

Alex drops Maggie's wrist and stumbles her first few strides into a run before shoving through the double doors of the DEO medical wing. "That's my sister," she screams, "wait!" She skids up next to the stretcher as it waits outside a closed room, this time her pushing brings her closer to Kara.

The blonde's vision is a blur of LED lights that hurt her eyes and foreign faces staring down and gloved hands and pain that scatters black gaps in her sight. She heaves another burning breath through her lungs and fights the tug to close her eyes and fade away. Without James and Maggie by her side she feels more panic surge and crash like a tidal wave in her chest.

 _"Kara."_ She hears a voice calling her name—it's distant and gurgled like she's underwater, but it's familiar and it's safety.

It's Alex.

"Al-lex," she whispers and her words are barely a tremble in the air and it hurts just to breath. "Alex, Alex," she repeats the same name she'd murmured through the ambulance ride and down the hall. It's an anchor to this world and she clings to it. "Alex," she mutters again, blinking hard as more hands press against her abdomen and warm tears sting her cheeks and her insides simultaneous feel hollow and burnt and torn. Then the hazy figure of her sister's face comes into view and it's such a stark contrast to the strangers with stethoscopes that a sob emerges from her throat. She reaches a cold hand to her sister and misses by half a foot but Alex grasps that shaking palm and envelops it in her own, pulling it close to her chest, before she's pushed away and their grasp is broken.

"Kara," she yells to the stretcher disappearing behind more doors and makes a move to follow but a doctor appears in front of her. "Sorry, Agent Danvers, but you can't come here, she needs surgery." Alex looks over the woman's shoulder. "Kara, I love you, okay? I love you. You just hang on, I'll be right at your side when you wake up," she calls and the doors flutter closed and the doctor disappears and Alex is left alone in the hall that suddenly feels too big and too quiet.

Alex tips her head back, relishes the bite of the metal against her skin and the distraction it creates. A shuddery breath escapes her lips, all the panic and angst of the previous moments surfacing. She feels sick and faint and leans more heavily against the wall until she slides down and sits on the floor, pulling her knees crisscross and dropping her head into her hands.

Alex doesn't know how long she stays there, chest tight and fighting tears and shoving away all the things she doesn't want to feel. She needs to be collected when Kara wakes up, needs to be composed and smart and calm. But then, Maggie's at her side, changed into DEO issued gray sweatpants and a matching crewneck sweater and she's running her hand gently across Alex's back while tilting Alex's head up and cupping her cheek. The agent fights the comfort, curling away, but Maggie kneels and moves her arms up and down Alex's sides just above her hips and her touch is gentle and the oldest Danvers sister can't help the tears that form.

"Come on, babe," Maggie says softly and helps pull Alex up to her feet. The agent curls into Maggie's touch and leans heavily into her shoulder. Despite her fight to avoid crying, the silent tears pool over and wet Maggie's shirt.

"Oh, Danvers." Maggie tugs her closer and Alex clutches her tightly. She wants to promise Alex that it will be okay, that Kara will be fine, but Maggie doesn't make promises she can't keep. So she hugs Alex toward her, rocking her slightly as they sway back and forth in the empty hall of the DEO's emergency unit.

"I'm supposed to protect her, I was supposed to keep her safe," Alex whispers and her voice cracks.

"You can't be so hard on yourself, Alex." Maggie cradles the back of Alex's head in her hand, hair pushing up and skin warm. "You are not responsible for every bad thing that happens."

Even after Alex's tears stop she grips Maggie, presses her face hard into the detective's shoulder. Maggie rubs circles across Alex's back, fingers dancing gently over the agent's spine. The brunette lets out a soft little shake of a breath before leaning back to look Maggie in the eyes.

The detective smiles warmly, cupping Alex's cheeks and thumbing away the tear tracks on each side.

Alex pulls her back into a hug. "Thank you for taking care of Kara."

"Of course," she whispers and tightens the embrace.

"I love you," Alex mumbles into the woman's shoulder.

Maggie runs a hand over Alex's hair. "I love you."

/

"Kara, what the hell were you thinking?"

Alex asks as Kara sits up in bed for the first time since coming out of surgery. The blonde stares up at her sister, her eyes wide.

"You better have a damn good reason for throwing yourself into an _armed_ robbery and standing in front of a gunman."

"Al—" Maggie begins, seated next to Kara's bed and holding the younger woman's hand. "Not now."

Alex shakes her head, wrings her hands as she paces. "She always does this. You always do this, Kara. You go out and do something reckless and dangerous like no one cares. But I do, I care." Tears stream down Alex's face as she yells and they burn her skin as they pour out and splash onto the sterile tile floor. "I care so much that it hurts every day. If you died, Kara— _if you died,_ I'd be destroyed."

Kara's bottom lip quivers.

"So maybe next time before you go out and try to get yourself killed you could think about the people that care about you. What you did today was stupid and—"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Kara screams back. The room is blurry and her head hurts and she can barely follow one of Alex's thoughts to the next but her sister is yelling at her and her sister is crying and Kara doesn't know what to do but reciprocate. "I said I'm sorry. I didn't particularly like bleeding out on the floor either," she says and her voice is sharp and pitched high by tears.

"Why does blood follow you everywhere?" Alex yells and then the strength of Kara's sobs augments until she's hyperventilating. Alex turns around and sees the tears on Kara's red cheeks and the shaking of her shoulders, the agent freezes. Her heart aches and the room falls silent to Kara's sobs.

"I'll give you two space," Maggie says quietly. She squeezes Kara's hand with a whispered 'I'm glad you're okay' before standing. On her way to the door Maggie pulls Alex into a tight, crushing hug, silently brushing away the brunette's tears and rubbing her shoulder. The door closes behind her.

Alex focuses on Kara and the sobs wracking her frame beneath the thin hospital sheet. "I was just trying to help," Kara yells. Her breath trembles. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she repeats, quietly this time.

When it comes to staying mad at Kara, Alex has never succeeded. Her face pales and she moves closer to her little sister. "I didn't mean that last thing I said," Alex says and opens her arms to Kara. "I didn't mean it."

Despite everything, Kara curls toward her sister, sobbing into her shoulder and grasping the fabric of Alex's shirt with the fist that's cast-free. It makes Alex feel impossibly worse. "It's true though," Kara murmurs.

"No, no it's not," Alex says and climbs into the bed, gripping Kara as tightly as she can. "You've done so much good and you've saved so many lives. You're so selfless and so brave that it scares me sometimes, because I can't stand to see you hurt and I can't live without you, Kara, you know that."

The blonde doesn't say anything in response and Alex holds her as Kara cries it out.

"I'm sorry I scared you," Kara says when her sobs fade out and only slow, silent tears remain. She lets her head drop against Alex's chest, so she can hear the heartbeat even without powers and feel the warmth of Alex's skin just above her collarbone.

"I'm just glad you're okay," Alex says. She runs a hand over Kara's hair and the blonde nuzzles deeper into her touch. "Saving people is what you do, it's who you are and even though it scares me to death on a daily basis, I'm proud of you. It's important that you know that."

"I love you," Kara murmurs.

"I love you, too. So much." Alex presses a kiss to Kara's forehead.

"Can we watch movies when we go home? And snuggle on the couch and eat potstickers and pizza _and_ cookie dough ice cream?"

"In the past twenty four hours you've received what... a cold, a broken arm, and a gunshot wound? I think you deserve whatever you want."

Kara smiles against her sister, eyes drooping closed and breath slowing.

"We need to get you under the sunlamps," Alex says and Kara, eye still shut, shakes her head feverishly.

"Tomorrow," she groans and presses harder against Alex. "I just wanna sleep right now. Will you stay?"

Guilt still pulses through Alex's veins and _of course_ she can't say no to Kara when she's like this, she'll see if they can get the sunlamps set up in here for the night. "Of course," she promises out loud and as Kara falls asleep they whisper about their plans for the weekend and Kara likes to ask about Maggie just to see the light that brightens Alex's face when the other woman is mentioned, they come up with plans to convince J'onn and the doctors to release Kara tomorrow, and as Kara finally falls asleep Alex makes sure the last words the blonde hears before drifting off are "I love you, I'm proud of you, I'm glad you're safe, and I'll always have your back."

Kara falls asleep with a soft smile etched across her features.


	34. Ch34-Kara needs Alex but she's w Maggie

**A/N:** Thank you so much for your reviews, reads, favorites, and follows! It means so much. Big thanks to Ebble for submitting today's prompt. It wasn't on the poll, because it just got submitted on the last chapter but I started it because I had an idea and the next thing I knew, the chapter was pretty much done so I went ahead and finished and now we have an update. :) Plus, it seemed fitting to write since something seemed "off" about Kara in the last episode. She looked really stressed and nervous to me.

Just a warning, this one gets a little dark at some points.

The poll has been updated since I received so many new prompts.

I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Prompt: **Kara having to deal with a big personal issue and really needing Alex but doesn't go to her because she is spending all her time with Maggie. Alex eventually finds out and they have a big heart to heart**

* * *

It doesn't start like _this_ , like the feeling that her lungs are full of water and her chest is heavy and thick with sludge and mud that threatens to drown her. It doesn't start with a shaking core and trembling hands and breath that catches in her throat. It doesn't start with omnipresence in her head and a racing heart that she can't stop.

It starts small, one morning, when she wakes up and just doesn't _feel_ like getting out of bed. When she wiggles out of the sheets and her feet meet the cool wood beneath her and she can't help but send a lingering glance back at her mattress as she exits the bedroom and wishes she could go back, because things are getting so complicated and confusing in her life.

Everything is changing and she can't keep up. Cat had told her to dive, but it feels more like she's fallen into the ocean and each time she tries to swim forward she is battered by a wave and sent crashing back to the jagged shore where she's pressed against rocks and her skin is torn.

She shakes it off for a while, suppresses her feelings under Supergirl fights and CatCo reports until the first time she can't hold it in anymore. Tears brim her eyes at the end of a fight and she doesn't even know why. She sulks away after letting the medical crew check her over, flying around a bit before she finds herself hovering outside of Alex's apartment. She's about to let herself in through the window when she hears a knock on the door, listens as Maggie and Alex's voices mingle and a bag crinkles as Maggie sets takeout on the counter.

Kara bits her lip, lingers for another moment as she hears her sister's laughter—it's so light, so _happy_ and opposite from everything Kara's been feeling. She can't go in there, won't let herself mess up Alex and Maggie's evening with something so small and stupid. She turns around and shoots back out into the night, cape fluttering behind her.

"Supergirl out there?" Maggie asks, tilting her head in response to the glint of red she'd seen outside the window.

"Nah," Alex says with a flick of her hand. "Earlier today Kara said she'd be busy with a report or something. It's just you and me tonight." She smiles at Maggie and Kara can hear it in her voice even from the skies.

She shoves the back of her hand across her cheeks, flying higher and higher until she can't feel.

/

The second time it happens, is on a Friday, five days later.

Kara's gotten a little better at reigning things in, holding tight when she's in company and submerging herself in distraction when she's alone. But Kara's always felt better after talking to people, talking to _Alex,_ and their sister night has been the only thing keeping her upright as she'd trudged through the week. It'd kept her on her feet, kept her hands in loose fists to stop them from shaking, and kept the lump in her throat at bay just enough to mutter an intelligible response to Snapper the three times he'd yelled at her in the past day, to continue her work when James wouldn't look her in the eye, to keep showing up at the DEO when she wants to avoid Mon-El, to keep her from sobbing every time she passes Cat's office and sees it vacant of the woman because _that's_ still a thing that rises inside her. It makes her feel a little bit okay each time Alex goes off with Maggie—when they eat together, snuggle together, and watch movies together and Kara's alone.

It's okay. It's okay because Fridays are sister nights and those have always been sacred and stable and Kara will cling to anything that's stable right now.

She enters the DEO around midday with a returned bounce in her walk, because maybe after so long things will feel a little normal again after tonight. She lets her feet carry her to Alex's lab, smiling at the sight of her sister.

Kara knocks on the door frame, entering before she waits for a response and lifting herself to sit on the edge of a lab counter.

Alex looks at her expectantly.

Kara swings her legs, crossed at the ankles as she speaks. "Ready for sister night tonight?" she grins, she's already picked out Alex's favorite movies and food, has everything ready.

"Oh, shoot, Kara." Alex rubs a hand across her forehead before resting it on the counter, the blonde's heart sinks. She knows that look, that tone. "I completely forgot to tell you, I can't make it tonight. Maggie has this ceremony, party thing at the precinct and I said I'd go with her. You don't mind, right?"

Kara swallows the lump in her throat and shakes her head. This is fine. It's _fine,_ she should not be so upset over it. "No. You—you have fun with Maggie." She slips off her perch, needs to leave before the pain her chest and stomach and heart consumes her.

Alex grins. "Thanks." She tugs Kara into a quick hug and it does nothing to loosen the ache swirling through her body. Instead it stings and Kara feels like she's going to be sick. "You should call James or Winn or even Mon-El. I'm sure they'd like to hang out."

Kara hasn't told Alex that she hasn't been talking to any of them.

"We'll hang out next week," Alex promises as she fuses over test tubes.

The blonde just nods as she exits the room, she doesn't trust her voice to produce any sound other than a sob. When Alex turns around, her sister is gone.

She spends the night circling the globe as fast as she can. She thinks of Krypton and dust and broken things.

/

After that, she loses count of how many times it happens; of the times she clutches a phone in her desperate, shaking hands only to meet her sister's voicemail, of the canceled dinners and movies, of the times Kara's own guilt and shyness grow into self-imposed shackles. Until her sister begins to feel like a stranger and Kara feels more alien than she ever has before.

It's at its worst two weeks later on their sister night. Alex asks if Maggie can tag along. It splinters Kara's plans of talking to Alex, but _of course_ she says yes because she loves her sister and she loves Maggie, and Alex has sacrificed so much for Kara that really, this shouldn't be a big deal.

Kara shows up to Alex's apartment hopeful that maybe the night would ease the tightness in her chest that had grown into a pervasive panic, to the feeling that she could snap and shatter at any moment and slip into some dark oblivion of anguish from which she would never return. She equates it to the Phantom Zone in her head.

It feels like she's back there or maybe, she's never left, not completely, and pieces of that wretched wasteland reside inside her.

She bundles her trembling hands in her coat pocket after knocking on the door and stepping inside to warm hugs and pizza and Netflix.

"Hey, Kara, help yourself to the pizza and join us on the couch," Alex says. "We're just about to turn something on."

Kara nods and grabs a slice of pizza before sinking beneath a blanket. At the sight of food on her plate she's reminded that she's been forgetting to eat lately. She takes a bite and chews slowly, can't seem to focus on whatever's happening on the TV in front of her.

She's trying to swallow a third bite, coax it down her throat when her stomach flips. She discards her plate, slice barely touched, on the coffee table and has to close her eyes.

When she opens them, Maggie and Alex are looking at her with concern. Guilt surges through Kara, mixes with her roiling stomach.

Something is wrong. Rao, something is so wrong and it is all slipping through her fingers and breaking.

But she does not want to mess this up for Alex. Can't mess this up.

"Is something wrong?" Alex reaches out, brushes Kara's cheek with her thumb. It's gentle, it's warm. She doesn't deserve it. It makes her feel like crying.

Kara shakes her head—too sharp, too fast. The room is reeling, her vision is a little blurry.

"Kara, are you okay?" Alex asks, moves her hands to cup Kara's face.

Maggie's still snuggled against the agent, both of them wearing identical concern. It's too intimate, Kara feels like she's imposing. She can't mess this up, can't mess this up.

"Kara," Alex says again, eyes boring holes into Kara's soul.

"I—I don't feel good." At least it's honest.

Alex straightens immediately, untangles herself from Maggie and moves closer. "You can't get sick, at least you aren't supposed to. Did-"

"I know," she heaves in a shaky breath and cuts Alex off, the nausea grows. "I just—I don't know, Alex. I don't—I—I have to go to the bathroom."

"Kara, wait" Alex calls as the blonde stands unsteadily. "Did you blow out your powers or catch an alien virus? Those are a thing, you know." She follows her sister and the door closes in her face.

The blonde tips her head back against the door, breathes in deep, violent breaths. Holding down the bile rising in her throat until she hears Alex retreat back to the living room. Her churning stomach lurches and she vomits in the toilet with tears burning in her eyes. She heaves and spits for a minute, before flushing and letting her forehead fall against the porcelain.

She hears Maggie offer to stay or leave, "whatever's best for Kara," she says; to which Alex responds that it might be best if "Kara has some down time" just the two of the them, while the agent figures out what's going on, she already has an idea. Is seeing reflections of Kara's younger, completely heartbroken and destroyed self.

Kara hears Maggie voice her goodbye and kiss Alex's cheek. Maggie says she hopes Kara feels better and then the door closes softly behind her and Kara is sorry, she's so sorry, as Maggie's heartbeat fades as the distance increases and Kara's senses are full of Alex's heart and Alex's breathing. She wanted sister time, but not like this, not with herself ruining Alex and Maggie's night.

Kara's so out of it that she startles when Alex returns on the outside of the door, giving a gentle knock. "Kara, come on, let me in," she prods softly. "Please," she adds.

Kara rises and has to lean against the counter, hands gripping the granite as she moves to unlock the door. Alex steps in, deep, brown eyes shiny with worry and brows furrowed like they always are when she's trying to figure something out. "Did you get sick?" she asks and her face is so contorted in concern, Kara feels herself battered with more guilt.

The blonde gives a small nod and her elbow buckles, sends her sinking toward the ground. Alex is at her side in an instant, lowering Kara to the floor until she's sitting and leaning against the wall.

"I'm going to be right back," Alex says and sprints off. When she returns she has a glass of water in her hand and nudges it into Kara's. "Small sips, okay? You can rinse if you need."

She helps Kara stand again and clean her mouth, wipes Kara's face with a warm towel and then switches to cool water to dab sweat off the blonde's hairline. "Come on, let's lie down and get you to bed."

Kara wants to fight, wants to tell her sister that she'll be fine, but words catch in her throat and she finds herself melting into the touch she's missed for so long. Alex has always had that effect on her.

She helps Kara change, replaces her work clothes with soft pajama bottoms and a tee shirt. Then she lifts the comforter and urges Kara beneath them. "I'll be back in a sec," Alex says once Kara is settled in the bed.

She returns moments later with her laptop as well as more water and some crackers, all of which she sets on the nightstand. "Tomorrow we're getting real food into you, and a trip down to the DEO med wing if you're still feeling bad." When she turns around tears are falling from Kara's eyes and in a second she's sobbing. "I'm sorry," she whispers in watery words and a hoarse voice. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

"Oh God, Kara, what's going on with you?" Alex stops organizing the nightstand, dropping what she'd been carrying and climbing onto the bed. She brushes hair off Kara's wet cheeks and pulls her close. "Huh? You've been acting weird for weeks and I thought… I thought it wasn't serious, because you'd come to me if it was. But I was wrong, I should have said something. I should have been there."

"I di-didn't want to bother you," Kara murmurs against Alex's shoulder. "You've be-been so happy with Maggie I didn't—I didn't want to take that away from you or be a burden."

"No, Kara, oh God, no." Alex tightens her arms around her sister, so they're pressed together and she can feel Kara's warm, quick breaths. Not for the first time, she wishes she had Kara's super strength if only to match the tightness of her hugs, to keep her sister safe. "No, you could never be a burden to me, okay?"

Kara makes a sound of disagreement, shakes her head fiercely.

"Kara, look at me." Alex pries Kara's hands from her back, gently lifts her chin. She waits until she meets Kara's blue, watery eyes. "We are sisters and nothing changes that, _nobody_ changes that. You will never be a burden to me."

"Okay," Kara says with a shaky whisper. "Thank you."

Alex runs a hand through Kara's hair. "You are the most important person in my life."

Kara stares back at her, gaze hollow and tormented.

"I want you to say it."

Kara remains silent and Alex nudges her side. "I'm serious. I need you to say it."

"You are the most important person in my life," Kara says and sniffles.

"The other way," Alex prods.

Kara sighs and drops her gaze. "I am the most important person in your life."

"There we go," Alex says with a smile. "And don't you forget it."

" 'kay," Kara says, fatigue beginning to slur her words. She slumps down so her face presses against Alex side.

"Want to tell me what's going on? Or what happened earlier? Are you sick?"

Kara shakes her head and the weigh in her chest returns, she loops her arms around Alex's middle, wanting to be as close as possible. "Not sick," she whispers. "Just sad. _Really unbearably_ sad, like before. Like those times."

Alex nods. "Why?" she asks, curving against Kara and continuing to run her fingers through blonde hair.

"Because everything's _wrong._ Everything is broken and changing and I can't keep up, Alex, I can't. James won't look at me; and Winn's being skiddish; and Mon-El and I can't even talk anymore; and Cat left; and I haven't heard from Lena in days; and J'onn has M'gann; and you have Maggie; and I'm happy for you, I really _really_ am. I just don't want to bother you, so I don't talk to you and I keep myself away. And my family from Krypton is dead. And everyone is gone and I'm alone and I'm scared that I'm going to lose myself again in the Phantom Zone, in my head, in my memories."

Alex gathers Kara in her arms, pulls her back up. "It's not gonna happen. Not again, not ever." She knows they're both referring to particularly dark months of Kara's teenage years, when she'd shut down and cry every night and withdraw. When she'd work herself up into the frenzied, haunted state she's on the verge of footing right now. She'd make herself sick with worry and sobs. Kara's strong and sunny, but Kara's also been through a lot, she buries a lot, hides a lot, keeps it closed and locked away until it threatens to destroy her and comes bubbling up. "Because you're not alone. You've got me and we know how to fix this, how to fight this: together." Alex slides her fingers between Kara's. "You're always going to be my number one, Kara."

"Thank you," Kara murmurs, tears dried on her cheeks and words a little more stable than before. She reaches out, curls flings her arms around Alex and burrows into the crook of her neck.

"You're welcome," Alex says. "Always, always, always. Your friends and everyone else will come around, they just need time. But even if every other person in the whole entire galaxy—the whole entire _universe—_ left, you'd still have me. You've always got me, so don't ever think you're alone or you're a burden for needing help, because you're not."

Kara nods. "I love you," she chokes out.

Alex smiles and rests her cheek on the top of Kara's head. "I love you so much, sweet girl. More than you'll ever know."

Kara shakes her head and Alex can feel a small smile curve across the younger woman's lips. "I think I do know."

"Nah," Alex says and shifts so they're lying down.

"That's not fair," Kara murmurs.

"Yeah it is, I'm your big sister."

Kara grumbles with a smile on her face and lets her eyes fall closed, nestling against her sister. "I missed you, Lexie," she whispers.

Alex drops a tear into Kara's hair, quickly brushes it away and closes her own eyes. "I missed you, too. But I'm here now and I've got you, all right? You're okay. I've got you and we're going to fix this."

Kara nods, feels sleep tug heavily until she's floating away to somewhere safe and warm for the first time in weeks. "Okay," she mumbles and drifts off with her fingers still linked around her sister's hand; somehow that's enough. Somehow that is everything.


	35. Chapter 35 - Ch 34 Sequel

**A/N:** Thank you so much for all the reviews. To the guests who have left prompts, they'll be added to the next poll.

I received a request for a sequel to the last chapter and ran with it. Which means that the poll still stands (we're very close to a tie over there, so go vote if you haven't already :)

I hope you enjoy! Also, I'd love to hear your thoughts and also also, happy Supergirl Monday! If you want to talk about the episode after it airs (or before, I'm flexible) come see me on twitter ( powertodanvers). All right, that's all. Thanks!

* * *

Her breath is in her throat when she wakes, silent screams calling out from some dark cavity deep inside her chest. Her senses are smothered by the grasps of dream and she turns, lungs still lurching, aching for breath. She trembles, feels an abysmal sensation of reaching, reaching, reaching.

Gripping her fingers through darkness and smoke until finally— _finally—_ she meets something solid, knuckles colliding with a warm, tangibility in front of her; a gentle weight wrapped around her shaking frame: Alex.

Alex who murmurs in her sleep, instinctively tugging Kara closer, instinctively loosening some of the tightness in her chest, softening the thunder of her heartbeat.

Kara let's out another warm exhale against Alex's chest, curls into her and clings. She squeezes her eyes shut. Hard. Nestles against Alex.

The brunette murmurs in her sleep, tugging Kara closer again, and Kara picks up her sister's words as some slurred and mumbled version of _are you okay?_

 _No,_ she wants to say, feels it choking through her throat and catching on her tongue. _Nothing is okay._ She's entangled in nightmares that shake her to the core, strip away her sanity and then disintegrate, leaving only dread she can't place. Dread like murky waters and inky shadow.

Without meaning to, a whimper slips from her mouth and it's the closest thing to a response she can produce.

"Kara," Alex whispers, something about the cry rousing the eldest Danvers sister into wakefulness. She props herself up on her elbow. "Kara, are you okay?"

"No," Kara says, and with the admission from her broken, cracking voice comes some relief to the ache in her bones and burning in her lungs. "No, I'm not," she cries.

Alex shifts, loosening her grip on Kara and sliding over—intent on turning on the light on her bedside table, when Kara yelps a pitiful 'no' at the sudden lack of pressure.

"Okay, it's okay," Alex placates and moves back, light already forgotten as she pulls Kara's shaking frame against her own. "You're all right, sis, just breathe with me." Alex thumbs away the tears on Kara's cheeks. The blonde squirms a little, until she can practically feel Alex's heartbeat beneath her.

"Good girl, you've got it," Alex says as Kara gets her breathing under control, curling back against Alex with a sigh.

The grasp of nightmare finally breaks, minutes later with a quivering deep breath that heaves its way in and out of Kara's lungs. She looks up at Alex, eyes no longer glassy behind tears, cheeks flush and warm.

"There she is," Alex says, caressing Kara's face and giving her a soft smile.

Instead of reciprocating the smile, Kara keeps looking at Alex, eyes wide and lips tugging downward until she coils forward into Alex's shoulder in a sudden movement, twisting her fingers around the fabric of Alex's pajama shirt and holding it tight. Worry tautens in Alex's stomach, she rubs circles on Kara's back with one hand and runs the other through blonde hair.

"Wanna talk about it?" Alex asks, even though she already knows the answer.

Kara shakes her head. "I don't even know how to," she whispers, a little breathless. "It's gone. It's—it's just this feeling. And I-"

Alex hears Kara's breath catch in her throat again.

"Shh, it's okay, Kara. It's okay…"

Kara nods, focuses on Alex. "I'm really tired."

"Then go to sleep," Alex says gently and Kara closes her eyes to the sound of her sister's heartbeat and the feeling of familiar fingers tangled in her hair.

/

Kara wakes to an empty bed, and there's a heavy exhaustion deep beneath her eyelids as she shifts and props herself upward. It takes a few seconds for her recognize that she's in Alex's apartment and when the previous night's memories come back a new kind of exhaustion washes over her, strips away another layer of composure.

She drags herself out of bed, toward the kitchen where the scent of pancakes wafts. Even though her stomach makes noise, she doesn't feel hungry.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Alex says and smiles.

Kara drops into a chair at the counter. "Hey," she says back, feeling a little bit lighter now that she's drenched in sunlight seeping through the window and spending time with her sister.

"You want some?" Alex gestures to the growing stack of pancakes on the island.

Before she responds her stomach makes another noise and Alex laughs. "I'm taking that as a yes."

Kara accepts the plate without protest because she should at least _try_ to eat, if not for herself, then for her sister. She manages a few bites until she's finished an entire pancake and Alex is smiling at her so widely that Kara tries to eat a second one and even though she only gets four more bites in, she feels better than she has in a long time.

Alex kisses the top of Kara's head. "What are your plans for the day?"

"I'm going into CatCo for a few hours and then—"

"Kar, are you sure that's a good idea?"

The blonde nods. "I need it. Sometimes… sometimes it feels like CatCo—like writing—is the only thing keeping me steady."

Alex feels guilt course through her like ice water. She should have been there sooner for Kara.

The blonde excuses herself a few minutes later and super speeds her way through getting dressed for work, walking into CatCo precisely 3.2 minutes before she's supposed to be there.

Her day starts relatively well and she's able to fend off the persistent coil of dread in her stomach for a few hours. But just a little after she reaches the halfway point on her work day things start to fall apart. Snapper sends her to L-Corp for an interview and Kara is more than happy to have the chance to visit her friend. But when she arrives, Lena is trapped in a board meeting and the best Kara gets is a small smile and a mouthed 'I'm sorry' through the window of the door. The blonde gets in a quick wave dismissing Lena's apology and shares her own brief smile before Lena's attention is pulled away by some old guy in a chair to her right. The CEO gives a small eye roll that only Kara can see and she walks away smirking, despite the fact that she misses her friend more than ever now.

She talks to Jess for a few minutes before disappearing down the hall and out into the streets. The whole experience would have been okay, good even, now that she's seen Lena and knows the CEO is okay after everything that's been going on, except when Kara gets back to CatCo she has to endure another series of lectures about her incompetence from Snapper. Then she has to watch as he tears up one of her articles and dumps it in the trash.

She retreats back to her office, swallowing tears and keeping a straight face because she'll be damned if she lets Cat down in one way or another. And while the building may be physically void of the woman herself, she is still very much present.

Cat had a special word for the feeling aching through Kara, something about 'millennial dread' and it makes her laugh even though she wants to cry. Thinking about Cat is dangerous though, when Kara is trying so hard to keep herself together, thinking about anyone that's left is dangerous at the moment. She squeezes her eyes closed for a second and tries to rid her brain of the list of names that burns behind her eyes.

She manages slowly and painfully through the next two hours, quelling the pain in her chest just enough so it doesn't morph into outright panic. Then, there's a series of Supergirl emergencies—sirens calling one after another. In the end everyone survives, but Kara's distracted and fatigued and she makes mistakes that almost have irrevocable consequences. People die when she's not focused. She berates herself as she flies away, barely managing a small smile and wave to the crowd that had gathered below.

The smile falls from her lips the second she turns away and takes to tearing through the skies. If she could just go fast enough, she wouldn't have to feel.

Kara wrestles her phone from the pocket sewn into her super suit with shaking fingers, fumbles through her speed dial as she hovers back into U.S. airspace after circling the globe a few times. The sun is dipping below the horizon from where she hangs in the sky. "Alex, I wanna come home. I want to see you, and Maggie, too."

"Okay, yeah. We'd love to see you, too. Is something wrong? Is everything okay?"

Kara bites her lip and tears prick in her eyes as she speeds through the air. "Yeah, I know it's only been a few hours but I just miss you and I'm not feeling great again and I just want to see you before it gets too bad. I don't want to spiral."

"Of course. We'll be here."

Kara nods, squeezing her eyes closed as she swallows a lump in her throat.

"And Kara?"

"Yeah?" she responds, voice hoarse.

"I'm proud of you for calling. Now stay safe and get here quickly, okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you. Fly fast."

Kara almost— _almost—_ smiles at that. "I love you," she whispers back and then the line goes dead and she's alone in the skies.

She lands on the rooftop of Alex's apartment and changes from her super suit in the stairwell. She's exhausted as she drags herself down the steps and through the hall, feet heavy and lungs slow—it's the kind of exhaustion that settles in your bones, gnaws at you from the inside out. As she knocks on Alex's door she lets her eyes fall closed, feels the vibrations of the city shake through her.

The door opens with a soft creak, but it's loud in Kara's pounding head and she flinches before opening her eyes to Maggie's soft smile. "Hey, Little Danvers."

"Hi," Kara mutters as she stumbles in, foot catching on the threshold.

"Easy there," Maggie says and reaches out, steadying Kara with a hand on each arm. "What's wrong?"

Kara sees Alex making her way over from the kitchen and shakes her head, but the motion makes the room spin and she presses a hand against her forehead. "Nothing, I'm-"

"Kara," Maggie says and the gentleness in her voice makes Kara's heart clench.

"It's just a headache." She tries to straighten, brushes off Maggie's concern as Alex appears at her side.

"And you're shivering," Maggie observes, leaning back to scan Kara for any other abnormalities.

"It's not a big deal," Kara mutters and she really just wants things to feel normal again, but she's getting too tired to go through all the motions of pretending.

Alex moves against her side and pulls Kara toward her, taking some of the girl's weight in her arms. "Kara," she begins and brushes Kara's hair behind her ear. "You came home for a reason, let us take care of you."

"I—okay," she relents, protest ceasing as Alex rubs her back and Kara feels some of her pain dripping away.

"Maybe a nap might make you feel better?" Maggie suggests, taking note of the dark circles beneath Kara's eyes and the way her body seemed to sway as she tried to remain upright. Alex nods in agreement at Kara's side.

"Okay," she says again and untangles herself from Alex, something is still broken deep inside her.

"You'll be okay in there?" Alex asks, worrying her lip as she watches Kara's slow and shaky steps down the hall.

"Yeah," the blonde says over her shoulder.

Alex follows behind her anyway, makes sure Kara is settled in the bed and snuggled under a few blankets before she gives Kara's shoulder a squeeze and flicks off the lights. She knows her sister hasn't been sleeping much lately.

Without bothering to change from her clothes Kara had collapsed into the bed, she presses her face into Alex's pillow and tries to imagine everything falling away, all the fear coiled in her stomach and the pain in her head and tightness in her chest.

It doesn't work, and she closes her eyes harder, focuses her super hearing on Alex's heartbeat. She finds the brunette's voice instead.

"God, Mags, I'm so worried about her," Alex says as she moves around the kitchen, pulling out ingredients for dinner. As soon as Kara had called, they'd both taken the rest of the day off and made a quick stop at the grocery store before returning to Alex's apartment.

"It'll be okay." Maggie puts a hand on Alex's back, turns the agent around so they're face to face. "Kara's tough."

Alex rubs her eyes and sighs. "I know, but even tough people fall to this kind of stuff. I just wish I could help her."

"Sometimes the best thing you can do is just be with someone."

"I need to be more than just the best thing, Maggie. I need to be _enough_ for her." Kara hears Alex's voice crescendo, her breathing stutter. "Sorry," she whispers, squeezes her eyes open and closed. "I'm sorry—I just, I hate to see her like this. It makes me feel so bad."

Kara stops listening and bites her lip, still tears fall from the corner of her eyes. She curls onto her side and turns everything off as best she can.

A sharp cry falls from her lips and she slaps a hand over her mouth in an attempt to suppress the noise. She has to remind herself that she came here for a reason—she came here so Alex and Maggie can help her. She can't disappear this time. Kara needs help and she needs it soon, because she's afraid of what might happen if she keeps slipping away.

"It's okay," Maggie says and pulls Alex into a hug. "Hey, listen to me, we're going to work this out, all right? We're going to fix it."

Alex nods, in a second any remnants of the tears that had threatened to fall are gone, her cheeks already returning to their natural hue. "Thank you for being so good about this and so good with Kara. She asked for you to be here tonight, she wanted to see you, too."

Maggie gives a small smile. "I just wish I could be better."

Alex nods. "You and me both."

/

"I need to try something different," Alex says and paces through the kitchen, stirring their red sauce each time she passes. Maggie perches on the counter, swinging her legs. "I need… oh, Eliza! That might help." A smile pulls across her lips. "I'm going to call my mom," she says, stepping away from the stove. Maggie slips in and takes her place as Alex moves into the living room.

Kara rolled over in the bed, she's been footing the edge of sleep for the past hour and a half, flickering in and out of wakefulness and begging for _something_ to change, for something to dislodge the fatigue and anguish that's somehow seemed to seep through her pores and stick close on her heart.

With a sharp movement she swings her legs over the edge of the bed, feeling hot and sticky in her work clothes. She bypasses the pair of pajamas she leaves here, in favor of pulling on Alex's sweatpants and t-shirt. It takes a few minutes to change because the thought of using her super speed brings nausea for reasons she can't explain.

She's just so tired of it all.

"Hey, feeling any better?" Alex asks when she sees Kara emerge from the bedroom, pajama clad.

Kara nods and it's not a complete lie, the ache in her head _has_ dulled a bit and she doesn't feel like the mere act of standing is going to bring her down. She even manages to muster a smile small. It's getting easier with practice.

"Good," Alex says and pulls Kara into a quick hug. "There's only a few minutes before dinner's ready and Eliza's on the phone. She wants to talk to you."

"I'm not really—"

"You don't have to, Kara, but it would mean a lot. She _really_ misses you."

Kara takes the phone with a quiet 'okay' and disappears back into the bedroom. "Hi, Eliza," she says softly.

"Hi, sweetie." Silence falls over them for a few moments and Kara shifts, eyes pointed downward where she toes at the ground. Eliza speaks up again. "I've heard you've been going through some difficult things and I want you to know that I will always love you, and I'm just a call away if you ever need me."

Kara curls onto the bed. She wants to cry because Eliza's voice is so gentle and she has always been so gentle even when Kara was not. "Thanks," Kara says and sniffles. "I love you, too." She heaves a shaky breath. "You're a good mom."

Eliza smiles. "Thank you, Kara. Do you want to talk about what's been bothering you?"

Kara shakes her head. "No, not really. But I can tell you about what's going on at CatCo, if you want to hear about it?"

"I'd love to," Eliza says.

Thirty minutes pass before Alex goes in search of Kara to tell her dinner's ready. She pauses, hovering in the entranceway, at the sound of Kara's laughter spilling forward. It's such a relief to finally hear that noise, a smile pulls across her features. She's about to ease away and leave Kara a few more moments with Eliza when the blonde leans to the side and grins at her sister. "Alex, come over here. Eliza just told me the funniest story about Jerimiah and horses."

Alex grins back and _of course,_ she sits next to Kara as requested, shoulders knocking as she moves down. "Is it the dude ranch one?"

Kara nods eagerly. "How'd you know?"

" 'Cause it's a classic. Plus, I know it's one of mom's favorites because I was there."

"You were?!"

Alex nods. "Yep, six year old me."

"Riveting." Kara declares and flops back against the bed. "Is dinner ready?" she asks Alex, who nods in response.

"You ready to eat?"

"Starving!" Kara says, and Alex rolls her eyes at the drama that is her sister. The pair exchanges goodbyes and 'I love you's with Eliza before hanging up and sliding off the bed.

"I can't believe he fell off the horse," Kara says, shaking her head, clearly still in awe of the story.

"And rolled down the hill," Alex adds.

"He rolled down the hill?"

"All the way," Alex says, enjoying the giggles that follow.

"There are my Danvers sisters," Maggie says with a smile, setting plates full of pasta on the kitchen counter.

"Sorry, Mags, Kara was getting enlightened on our dad's embarrassing past mistakes."

"Tell Maggie the story!" Kara says as she sits down, fork already half way to her mouth. It's the first time in days Alex has seen Kara readily eat. Maybe all she needed was some distraction and some fun to pull her away from her thoughts.

They're in the middle of cleaning up, despite Maggie and Alex's insistence that Kara sit, she's helping out anyway. Alex's phone rings, a call from the DEO science department with inquiries about some experiment that's running in the lab. She steps out into the hall for a moment and Maggie catches her wrist, pulls her in for quick kiss before she disappears.

Then it's just her and Kara, and she can't help but think of all the things she's seen over the past week. She can't help but remember the fear that'd spiked inside her the previous night at the hollowness in Kara's gaze. The panic that'd tightened in her chest as she'd watched, helpless, while Kara had spiraled.

And before she can help herself, Maggie has Kara pulled into the tightest hug she can manage. "Little Danvers, you have to promise me you're going to keep coming for help when you need it, okay?"

Kara murmurs in surprise before she reciprocates the embrace and answers the detective's question. "Yeah, I will."

"You promise?"

Kara nods. "I promise."

"Good," Maggie says, pulling back and smiling one of her big dimple-y smiles.

/

"I had a bad day," Kara admits later that night when things have calmed down and she's snuggled on the couch with a movie and her sister. Behind them, Maggie sits at the counter in the kitchen, finishing up paperwork.

"What was bad about it?" Alex asks and turns down the volume on the TV. She feels Kara shrug against her.

"Don't know. It just sucked."

Alex gives a sympathetic hum and wraps an arm against Kara, squeezing her close. "Well, tomorrow should be better."

"Yeah, maybe. I got yelled at by Snapper and almost messed up as Supergirl, but I did go get to visit Lena."

The inflection of Kara's voice tells Alex that the blonde wants her sister to ask more. "And?"

"She was in a meeting, but I waved? I don't know, she's a good person." Kara nestles into Alex's shoulder and this time Alex can tell she's done talking about it.

"You're a good person, too," Alex whispers, brushing her hands through Kara's tangled hair. Kara doesn't say anything, just lets herself melt into Alex's gentle touch.

The blonde hears Maggie shut her laptop, hears sock-clad feet pad toward the couch until the detective comes into view and plops beside Kara. The blonde makes a move to stand up, feeling guilty for taking the space between her sister and her sister's girlfriend, but Maggie puts a hand on Kara's leg and shakes her head.

"Stay, Little Danvers, it's okay. We'll survive, Alex and I have spent _many_ night _very_ close to each other to make up for it." She wiggles her eyebrows at Alex and grins.

" _Mags,"_ Alex hisses, flinging a pillow at the detective and throwing her hands up.

"Sorry," Maggie says, not looking sorry at all as she laughs.

Kara makes a face and buries her head in Alex's shoulder, but the brunette can feel her smiling. "So tired," she murmurs and closes her eyes as Alex resumes stroking her hair.

"Go to sleep, Little Danvers," Maggie says, her fingers lock with Alex's free hand and fall across Kara's waist.

Kara's next words are unintelligible as she snuggles against her sister and feels the warmth of the detective on her right side. Kara sniffles a little, slipping deeper into the grasps of sleep as the movie and voices of Alex and Maggie mingled and fade. She's not okay, not yet, at least. But for the first time in so long, she's thinks she will be.

Sleep welcomes her easily that night, holds her warm and safe. But nothing could ever keep her warmer than the two women she's wedged between, holding hands over her exhausted frame and holding her together.


	36. Chapter 36- Cadmus Kidnaps Kara and Alex

**A/N:** Thank you so much for all your response on the last chapter!

The poll has been updated.

Today's prompt came in a few different variations from multiple users, but essentially it's along the lines of **Alex being taken by Cadmus with Kara** (like what happened in 2x07 but that was Kara and Mon-El). Thank you so much for everyone who requested it.

Now, before we jump into the wild whirlwind of a chapter I have planned, I have to establish some background/timeline stuff... All right, so... this chapter is sort of a merge between canon versions of 2x07 and last week's episode. The kidnapping plot with Cadmus is still essentially the same, with Lillian Luthor, and Kara and Alex instead of Mon-El. What's mostly different is that Maggie and Alex's relationship is closer to where they are present time in the show. Also, Lena Luthor is a super pal to everyone, okay? Lena's great and good and we're just going to pretend that people at the DEO aren't judging her because of her last name anymore. Also, she knows Kara is Supergirl.

Ohhh, and one more thing, I took medical and scientific liberties because... well, you'll see.

And, I'm sorry. You'll see about that one, too.

* * *

"I won't do anything you say," Kara spits out, pushing against the metal bars. "I won't solar flare, I won't tell you anything."

Lillian motions behind her, receives a knife glowing green with synthetic kryptonite from one of the guards and opens the door to the cell she has Kara locked in. "We'll see how long that resolve lasts," Lillian says and punctuates her last word by pressing the blade against the fabric of Kara's super suit, against the skin just above her clavicle. Drawing and pressing, drawing and pressing until the fabric splits and Kara's skin follows, oozing blood.

She draws a sharp breath, clenches her fist. The kryptonite is strong enough to hurt, but it can't kill her. They haven't perfected it. "I won't do it. You can hurt me all you want, but I won't let you do it."

"As you wish, Supergirl." Lillian turns to one of the guards. "Have them bring her in," she barks. "You're about to wish you'd simply agreed," Lillian warns, slashing the knife once more against Kara's skin, this time at her hip. Blood spills and splatters against the floor, joining the crimson puddle and echoing with each drop.

The blonde doubles over involuntarily, swaying under the presence of kryptonite as Lillian moves to the door where a figure is being shoved over the threshold. Kara looks up and the throbbing, burning pain ceases to register in her head as her veins turned to ice and her sister is dragged into the room.

"How about now?" Lillian asks.

Kara bites her lip, legs shaking.

"Supergirl! Don't!" Alex screams, her voice raw and desperate as it rings in Kara's ears. A sharp elbow lodges into Alex's stomach, a kick delivered to her legs until they give way beneath her, send her stumbling down. A distinct pop and snap resonate through the room as the force of the fall weighs against her shoulder when it collides with the floor and shifts between concrete below her and the metal restraining her wrists.

"I'm serious, Supergirl," Alex breathes, lifting her head from the ground just as another boot kicks forward and meets her ribs. She curls away and clutches her abdomen, words still pouring forward. "Don't do it. You can't do it," she says.

Lillian turns to Kara with a raised brow. The blonde stands frozen still, blood drips between her fingers but she presses further against the bars, eyes never leaving the agent on the floor.

Lillian shakes her head and disappears to a dark corner of the room, bathed in shadow. When she returns seconds later a syringe is poised between her fingers. She crosses the room, shoves up the sleeve of Alex's shirt and plunges the needle into the woman's skin.

Alex's eyes widen and Lillian lets the syringe fall and clatter against the floor. Her cold fingers curl around Alex's chin, jerking it back as Lillian produces a vile from her coat and forces the same liquid down the agent's throat, gesturing for guards to move Alex into a cell before turning on her heel to face Supergirl. "Now," she begins. "I don't quite know the relationship between you two, but I've observed enough over the past few months to determine you're close enough to die for each other. So, Supergirl, let me tell you what I've just done…" Lillian stalks around the cell, eyeing the Kryptonian. "I've just injected poison into Agent Danvers' bloodstream, specially designed by my very own scientists. At the same time, I have administered it by mouth, to secure that everything goes accordingly. We like to be very thorough here at Cadmus."

The older woman shoots a glance at Alex who's slumped against the side of her own cell, eyes closed and breath thready.

"What does it do?" Kara asks, voice steely and gaze worse.

"It's painful, and lethal, of course. The antidote… well, the antidote is something only we possess. She's got a few hours though, maybe eight… Nine at best. You see, the pain stays and comes quick… but the waiting? It's slow. _Excruciating_." She draws out the last word as she completes another lap around the cell, pauses in front of Kara. "Each passing second will grow worse and worse, as havoc is wrecked on Agent Davners' body. It will get so bad, all she will be able to do is scream and beg for death to come. Now, if you let me make you human for a little while, I administer the antidote to Agent Danvers; otherwise, you watch her die, slowly and painfully.

"D-don't. Supergirl, don't. Let me die, if you have to but, don't solar flare for her. It's too dangerous," Alex says, eyes still closed and skin paling, her breathing begins to quiver.

"I would never let you die," Kara says, her voice gentle for a flicker of a moment before she turns to Lillian. "I'll do it."

Alex whimpers, clutches her stomach. Kara shakes, spares a glance at Alex as the brunette tightens with pain. "I'll do it, I'll do it," Kara's suddenly screaming. "Just make it stop." Her fist clenches at her side, looking pale against dried blood. "Stop hurting her!"

"Very well," Lillian unlocks the door to Kara's cell and two guards barge in, yanking her out of the room and down a hall. "You said you would help her!" Kara yells as she's led into a vacant room and a helmet is fitted over her head, designed to absorb the energy of her heat vision.

"Drain your powers," Lillian says, features blank. "That's _your_ part of the deal. Or, I can give Agent Danvers a second dose and you can watch and see what happens."

Kara swallows, feels a lump in her throat and tears burn the corners of her eyes before she opens them and lets her heat vision go until the energy flees every cell and she collapses onto the floor. The nearly healed cuts from Lillian's knife halt in their recovery. Her vision is blurry, her mind fuzzy as she's dragged onto a table, blood drawn until the darkness impeding the edges of sight grows and she's wrenched into oblivion.

Above her, conversation drifts but she's too far gone to hear it.

"Dr. Lu-Luthor, we—we never actually created an ant-antidote for that poison," a scientists stutters from the corner of the room. "We on-only have the formula in the database. Should I go m-make some? It will only take a minute or two."

Lillian rolls her eyes. "No. That's the point. The woman was dead to me the moment she stepped foot into our van, and now Supergirl gets to watch as the life is excruciatingly ripped from every cell. I want her to know what it's like."

/

Kara's vision is hazy as two guards, with hands on either side, drag her down the hall. The door opens with a screech of metal and Kara's feet scrape the floor as she tries to squirm out of the grip that has already sent purple bruises blooming across her skin.

As her gaze sweeps the room it falls upon Alex and the hurricane of rage that swells inside her is enough to make her hands shake. She spins around, suddenly finding her feet.

"You said you would help her," Kara screams, fully back into consciousness, as her eye latch and focus onto Alex's bent form. "That was the deal!" The blonde's voice is ragged, trembling with anger and pain. Tears burn and scrape across her cheeks. "You said you'd stop hurting her!"

A guard pushes Kara into a cell and the concrete nips at her vulnerable skin as the door snaps shut.

"You so-called heroes are always so stupid… or is gullibility a Kryptonian thing? Wouldn't be the first thing your alien parents did wrong with you."

Kara shoves herself upward, her heart is a dagger in her chest. Her voice shakes and booms with enough decibels that Alex flinches. The older Danvers' head swims and her body burns and her stomach goes from aching to scorching and back again in a cycle of seconds. She's been on the verge of being sick since they'd pulled Kara from the room, she doesn't know how long it's been but it feels like an eternity as her middle roils and she gags without anything happening, curling in agony. "Don't you dare mention them," Kara yells and Alex tries to make herself smaller. "I swear to Rao if you say anything else about them I will hurt you when I get out of here."

Lillian laughs and with a sweep of her hand the guards vacate the room. "You're not really in the position to be making threats now are you, Supergirl? Your friend's got five hours, and it's only going to get worse from here." The door slams behind her, the room empty except for the two sisters.

"Alex," Kara whispers and rushes to the side of her cell so she's closest to her sister before kneeling down.

The brunette writhes, sweat dampening her skin and drenching her hair. It feels like something is being mangled inside her, like she has knives buried beneath her flesh.

"Shh, Alex. Alex it's going to be okay. We'll get out of here, we'll get an antidote," Kara says, receiving no response until she slides her hand between the bars and her gentle touch meets Alex's back. The brunette uncurls and turns around to face her sister. Tears streak the agent's face, cheeks red and flush.

"K-Kara," she murmurs.

Kara has to squeeze her eyes closed for a moment, breathe deeply, because this is _Alex._ This is Alex who surfed through a concussion in high school, and finished a run with a torn ligament, and has snapped bones without tears or so much as a grimace. This is Alex who has taken bullets and dislocated joints and doesn't take sick days ever—even when she's a snotty, achy mess. This is Alex who has survived so much she _could_ be made of steel. This Alex, the same Alex, who is contorted and bent on the ground, with tears pouring from her eyes and whimpers screaming from her lungs.

Kara's just barely made contact when Alex's body snaps tightly over in pain, her stomach contracts and cramps again. A scream splits her lips before she can stop it and the cramp radiates outward, pulls more muscles under the burning, piercing pain.

It sears across her body, ripples through.

"Hand." Kara pushes her arm forward. "Hand, Alex. Hand." She moves her fingers, taps them against Alex's until the brunette grips them in her own. "Squeeze," Kara says.

Alex clings.

She twists and yelps and squeezes and clings. In the chaos Kara thinks she hears Alex ask for her parents in between a gasp and sob, and it makes the blonde's heart crack. The brunette's head presses against the concrete floor, teeth gritted. She thrashes flailing limbs against metal, shifts and bites her lip until blood spurts forward and then she bites down harder.

She coils into herself and groans, hand still tight around Kara's. Hand always tight around Kara's.

They stay like that for the longest three minutes of Kara's life as Alex waits out the wave of pain ripping through her. The first sign of relief comes as a pant from Alex's lips, replacing the screams and hyperventilation.

"There you go," Kara says. "You're almost out, Alex."

The brunette parts her eyes and some pressure comes off of Kara's hand.

"Feel a bit better?" Kara asks and there are tears in her own eyes. It's such a relief to see her sister in a little less pain, uncurling and releasing some tension that'd held her body taut.

Alex is halfway through a nod when another set of spasms hits and she lurches forward, doubling over. This time she finally does vomit, stomach heaving as she sobs and just barely manages to crawl a few feet away.

Another set of minutes passes as she folds in on herself in agony, shaking on all fours and throwing up until there's nothing left and she's just there gaging and trembling.

Kara's on the other side of the bars, pressing as close as possible and whispering soothing words to her sister as her body is wracked with pain. If only she could reach out.

"Where does it hurt?" Kara asks when Alex's stomach stops lurching and she stumbles back toward her sister because she needs someone—needs _Kara,_ more than anyone on this planet. Maybe if Kara can just put a hand on the most hurting part of Alex it might make her feel a sliver better.

The blonde pushes against the bars, desperate to be able to hold her sister and stroke her hair and keep her tight and close while she goes through so much pain.

Alex doesn't respond for a moment, curls into herself and is gasping again. "E-everywhere," she finally breathes out, just barely intelligible. "It's h-hurt everywhere, Kara."

"We're gonna get you out, we're gonna get you somewhere safe soon," Kara promises and shoves her shoulder through the bar so she can run her hand along Alex's sides, gently message her sore abdomen. The brunette is quivering with chills and her skin is burning to the touch.

Alex shakes her head, eyes pulled closed so tightly it looks like it would hurt. "No, Kara. I might—I might die. I think I'm dying. Te-tell mom that I love her and I'm _sorry. I'm so, so sorry_ and, Maggie—tell her thank you and that…" Alex swallows hard. "That I love her too. And Kara, you need to know—"

Kara shakes her head, blonde hair swishing across her back. "No. Alex Danvers you listen to me, okay?" Her voice is full of tears. "This isn't the end. This _cannot be_ where everything ends, do you hear me?" Her words keep getting choked up in her throat and catching on her tongue but she has to keep going. "You're the strongest person I've met in the entire universe and—"

"Kara," Alex's hand beats gently against hers. The brunette's words slur, she shivers and each tremble wracks her against the metal bars. "Kara, Kara I love you so, so much, okay? More than anyone in the universe. I'm luck-lucky you were my sister."

"I _am_ your sister and you're still mine. Alex, we still have time. We can still—"

"Kar—" Alex's words stop, she sinks to the floor and out of her crouched and coiled position, eyes fluttering closed.

"Alex!" Kara screams. "Alex, come on! You're still supposed to have time." She pats Alex's face with her hand, presses against the bars to shake her shoulder. "Damn it! Come on, Alex, come on!"

The door flings open and in spills black tactical uniforms and Kara's knows them by heart, knows those faces and boots and weapons.

"J'onn," she screams and staggers upward. "J'onn, she needs help." She's flailing wildly, stumbling as she moves to the edge of the cell. "Alex has been poisoned," she lets out in a sob as the door is broken open and she steps forward. "They—they gave her poison."

She can't stop shaking and her legs go weak as J'onn reaches out to grab her, holds her up as medics rush around Alex.

"How—how did you…?" Her breath is strained, but J'onn's voice is stable as he talks and she melts against him, against one of the only people she trusts right now to make this better.

"Neither of you showed up for the briefing today and we caught a read on the synthetic kryptonite they made here."

Kara nods and straightens up again. "We have to go, we have to help Alex. She's dying, J'onn. She's going to…" Kara breaks off, shaking her head.

"Let's go," he guides her out of the room with a hand on her shoulder. "We're going to fly her via helicopter. The med team has been alerted and is prepping."

Her mind goes numb as her legs carry her forward until they settle in the helicopter and a phone is thrust in her hand with Dr. Hamilton's voice carrying over the line. At the same time, Alex's eyes shoot open and she gasps, contorting and twisting to her side, hand already pressed into her abdomen, and Kara lurches forwards, needs to be close now that she can. She tries to wrap an arm around Alex but she's shoved back by medics. "Stop!" she yells. "Stop, I need to be with her."

But the doctors move in front and block her view, providing what primitive medical treatment they can manage in the tight space and J'onn pulls Kara back. "You need to calm down. They're doing their best to help her." Kara squeezes her eyes closed and her breath is mess of rapid inhales and exhales. Dr. Hamilton's voice fills the air near her ear, where the phone still hovers. "Supergirl, I need you to listen to me. First we're going to breathe okay. Just take a second. In and out," she coaches and Kara follows, tilting her head against the seat as the helicopter tears through the sky. "Good job," the other woman says when Kara's respiration finally steadies. "I know you want to help Agent Danvers, so here's what you can do: I need you to tell me everything you know… what did the poison look like? Did anyone say anything about it? What are Alex's symptoms? How quickly did they come on?"

Kara swallows, finds strength in J'onn's hand on her shoulder and tells Dr. Hamilton everything she knows.

/

"Kara," a voice calls from behind a desk as the blonde enters the DEO, follows behind the medical team. She pauses for a moment, looking for the source of her name.

Lena appears from the hall, moves to Kara so she can rest a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

Kara blinks slowly. "What… what are you doing here?" her words are a little slurred, her breath shaky. Her legs feel wobbly, her head blurry but she pushes forward, keeps walking and Lena falls in step.

"I heard about what happened, thought my mother might be involved and well… I guess I wasn't wrong. I'm here as a friend, but I'm also here as a scientist and the adopted daughter of Lillian Luthor, perhaps I might be able to figure out what she's done and how to reverse it.

Kara's brows furrow, she looks like she's about to say something when Maggie bursts in, a hurricane of energy and emotion. "Where the hell were you guys?" Maggie asks.

Kara can't pull anymore words from her head and it doesn't matter because a second later Maggie's eyes fall onto the stretcher and it tells her what she needs to know.

"What… what happened?" Maggie jogs to catch up with Kara and Lena, follows behind the medical team.

"They—they poisoned her, Maggie." Kara stops outside the double doors to the medical wing where she gets blocked by doctors. She leans against the wall, skin paling and hand instinctively moving to cover the place at her hip where she'd been cut earlier. "I—I've never seen her in so much pain. I've never seen _anyone_ in that much pain. It was horrible. What they did was horrible and there was nothing I could do," her voice is high and cracks as tears spill over. "There was absolutely nothing. She's… she's only got f-four hours if we don't find a cure."

Maggie shoots a glance down the hall where doctors are still fussing over Alex who'd fallen unconscious again.

Lena's gaze shifts from Maggie to the blonde clutching her side, swaying with the effort to stand. The CEO looks at Maggie, "Go see if you can be with Alex."

The woman nods, gives Kara's shoulder a squeeze and she's about to turn away when Kara stumbles into the touch, draws Maggie into a tight hug. A sob falls onto her shoulder and Maggie embraces the younger girl back before Kara leans away and Maggie is off.

Kara makes a move to follow through the swinging doors but Lena puts a hand on her back and it's enough to make the blonde nearly tumble off balance.

"Lena, I need to go," Kara says through labored breaths.

"No." Lena puts a hand on each of Kara's elbows, holds her up. "Kara, dear, you need to get checked out by a medic yourself. There's nothing you can do for Alex right now."

"She could _die,"_ Kara says and Lena steers her toward the non-emergency wing.

"The doctors are crowded around, they wouldn't even let you in right now. Just take twenty minutes and then we'll go back."

Kara doesn't respond, only a guttural cry emerges as she pictures her sister writhing, and Lena leads her away with a gentle hand and soothing words.

/

Another hour has passed and Alex is still unconscious, but even then she thrashes and moans and sweat still soaks her hairline even though the medics have made numerous attempts to sooth her fever. The temperature keeps rising and rising and Alex shakes and shakes.

Maggie's at her side, holding her hand and stroking her hair when Alex jerks back awake, chest heaving and immediately she coils on her side, knees pulled as tight to her stomach as possible. Her vision blurs with bright lightning strikes as pain ripples around.

"It's okay, babe," Maggie says, gripping Alex's hand as the doctors mill around, try to find a way ease Alex's pain but everything falls short. There are too many variables with the chemical tearing her body apart still unknown.

Lena's with Winn, working together to hack Cadmus' research data base and see what they can find on experimental drugs, but the process is slow and tedious.

Outside the room, Alex can just barely make out the silhouette of her sister talking with J'onn and Dr. Hamilton.

"We need to call Eliza, get her on the first flight over here," Dr. Hamilton says.

J'onn shakes his head. "Not enough time, we need her now. I'll go fly and get her. Kara you stay here, be with Alex."

Kara gives a nod and turns around entering the room to a cacophony of rapid erratic beats. "She's going into v-fib," a doctor yells and more words flood the air but Kara can't hear, can't move as more medics flood the room.

"Charging," someone screams and all Kara can see is Alex's body flopping helplessly, all she can hear is the insufficient, intermittent heartbeat.

She must be screaming and making a commotion because someone drags her into the hall. But she can't even be sure because _Alex._

That looked like Alex dying.

That was Alex dying.

Kara kicks and thrashes tries to break free from the arms around her, but without her powers and with fatigue hanging heavy there's not much left in her and she's finally deposited two halls down, left swaying against the wall as the scrub-clad figure disappears.

She sees J'onn's shadow, through the door making his way out of the DEO to Eliza, hoping she can find a cure at best, hoping she'll get a chance to say goodbye at least, if everything fails and falls apart.

"Forget it!" Kara yells at J'onn. "She's dead, she's not coming back." But J'onn's already left the building and taken to the skies, heading toward Eliza.

Kara sinks to the ground and sobs herself into oblivion, rocking back and forth so her head hits the wall with each movement. She thinks seeing her sister in so much pain cracked her, but the dying… that would send Kara into pieces.

Minutes pass before footsteps echo through the hall and Maggie comes rushing out. "Hey," she says then drops in front of Kara, kneeling so she's eyelevel with the younger woman. "Hey, hey, hey, Kara."

The blonde's eyes are squeezed tightly closed and hot tears spill out and drop, spill out and drop, splattering the knees pulled up to her chest. "Shh, Kara." Maggie pries Kara's fist open and holds the blonde's hand. "It's okay. She's okay, they were able to stabilize her for the time being."

"She's not…?"

Maggie shakes her head fiercely, leans back; but her hand never leaves Kara's as she pulls them both up. "Come on. Eliza just got here and Lena thinks she may have found something."

As they make their way down the hall, Maggie's hand on Kara's shoulder, Alex drifts in and out of consciousness, eyes cracking open to the sight of her mom, and despite everything a tiny little smile graces her cracked lips. "Mom," she whispers.

"Hi, sweetheart," Eliza says and smiles for her daughter's sake. Alex manages to reciprocate for another second or two before her face falls into a grimace and she shakes her head.

"I don't feel well," she whispers and curls into her mother's touch, leaning against her side.

Eliza strokes Alex hair, she will always be her brave and strong and beautiful little girl. "Oh, baby, I know."

Alex's head lolls against Eliza's warmth. A second later she groans and the churning in her stomach escalates. "I think—I think I'm gonna b-"

Eliza knows. Of course she does, because Eliza _always_ knows, Alex thinks, as Eliza slips a bucket into her daughter's hands. She heaves and only bile comes up, there's nothing else left and every cell in her body sears. Eliza rubs Alex's back, gathers her short her and it's just like when Alex was a little kid and got sick. She lets her eyes close when the nausea eases enough that she can think again. With Eliza's hands tangled in her hair and wiping her burning forehead with a wet cloth, Alex tries to pretend she's not dying.

She keeps shifting because every position sparks fire under her skin and the pressure in her chest builds and builds until it feels like she can't breathe. She's coughing and each lung shrieks and her brain tells her to stop, to let go. But Maggie and Kara are entering the room and their eyes are the only thing she can see and Eliza's voice is the only thing she can hear and even though pain is the only thing she can feel she has to keep going.

As her eyes close she tries not to think that her last image of earth may be a hospital room and sterile walls. That the last thing she will know is pain.

She coughs and each lurch tugs painfully at each joint and muscle inside her, like her body is splitting beneath her skin.

This time though, the pain doesn't cycle through. It nestles deeper and deeper, feels like its radiating from her abdomen to every piece of her, gnaws her bone marrow and shreds her nerves, erodes the matter of her being; and damn it, it doesn't go anywhere. The minutes of hours pass like mountains forming, like a star going supernova. Her fists are curled around the hospital sheets, nails splitting the fabric. She tries to scream but her vocal cords won't vibrate and she tries to clear her vision because if she goes, she wants to go seeing the faces of the people she loves, but her eyes won't work—her vision a collage of black and blinking white and blurry colors. She can hear though, if she really concentrates, and she hears people shuffle in and out of the room.

They aren't doctors. They're friends and family.

They're saying goodbye.

But Kara… Kara and Eliza don't leave and when she really strains she can hear J'onn and Maggie on the other side of the room. She spends her last minutes memorizing _that,_ memorizing the sounds of the people she loves most. She spends her last minutes constructing their faces in her head, in front of the firework show of bursts of pain behind her eyes.

She thinks she says 'I love you' as she feels her body shut down, feels her brain grow sleepier as the pain seems to ease away just like the voices and sounds and hum of life. She thinks she says it, but she doesn't really know. Her tongue is thick in her mouth. Everything feels a little weird, a little soft, a little blurry.

Her mind trails back to what feels like the beginning of time, of life on Earth, when Kara arrived on her door step that very first day and the memory is drenched in sunlight and fuzzy corners even though everything is supposed to be dark.

Then she grows confused, she's late for work? Shouldn't she be up by now? Why are people screaming? Kara's crying. Kara's crying and Alex wants to comfort her but everything is dark and she's slipping away, away, away…

She's gone.

* * *

 **A/N (continued):** 1\. oops, 2. I said I was sorry, 3. part 2 is already written, ready to go, and will probably be dropped sometime within twenty four hours.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, comments, and possibly hateful remarks. :)


	37. Chapter 37 - Cadmus Kidnapping (Part 2)

**A/N:** Sequel as promised.:) Also, I just want to say that you guys are awesome and make me so happy. Big thanks to the guests who left reviews, too, I wish I could respond directly and tell you how much I appreciate your words.

* * *

She's gone.

/

The heart monitor shrieks and Kara stands up screaming, stumbling forward and Eliza breaks into a sob and Lena throws the door open with Dr. Hamilton at her side and Winn on their heels.

"Move!" Dr. Hamilton yells, stepping in front and plunging a needle into Alex's arm. Lena slips something into the IV. Winn glances down at his computer and back up, down, up, down, up. He's yelling things to them and they're yelling back and the clock is screaming and not thirty seconds after the heart monitor screeched flat it's whirling again and Alex jolts forward.

The pressure in her lungs is excruciating and she gasps for breath. Heaves air through her lungs and has to think about it.

Colors swirl in front of her closed eyes, shooting blues and emerald and the yellow of stars and deep magenta and red sparking before her and it's never been more beautiful even though it's all cast against the darkness of her eyelids.

Dr. Hamilton and Lena step back and look at Winn, smiles tugging across their faces and he stumbles backward into the wall, heaving a sigh as his own grin splits his lips.

Alex feels hands on her back; hands she knows—Eliza, Kara. They stroke and rub and draw circles until her lungs are sucking in air almost normally, almost like lungs are supposed to.

She pants and opens her eyes, blinks in the light. Her hearing comes back, quick and abrupt like surfacing from the bottom of a swimming pool.

"Alex," Kara breathes out and wraps her sister in the gentlest hug, she doesn't let go. "Oh my Rao, Alex."

The brunette blinks again, all the memories flooding back in snippets and hazy senses. There's still pain aching through her whole frame but she feels the fiery stabs receding with each passing second and she can _breathe_ again. Oh my god, she can breathe, she can feel, she can see. She can _see_ the faces of all those people that she loves most and _that_ is the new most beautiful thing she has ever seen. She can-

"Kara," she whispers, blinks sleepily as she looks around. "Mom."

"Oh sweetheart," Eliza says and grips Alex's hand. "My Alex."

The brunette forces her vision to focus, sweep across the room to Lena, Dr. Hamilton, and Winn. She blinks hard once more, tries to rein in her straying concentration and poke through the onslaught of regained senses. She wonders briefly if this is anything at all close to what Kara must have felt when her powers had manifested. "I was… I was dead, how did you do it?"

"We got into Cadmus' scientific database literally just an hour ago," Winn says, his hands shake with adrenaline. "Lena found the research on poisons, Dr. Hamilton identified the most likely candidate, took the antidote formula and whipped it together; we came running and voilà… Alex Danvers back from the dead." He bounces on his toes and can't stop smiling because Alex Danvers is living and breathing again and she doesn't look like she's in so much pain anymore.

"Get over here," she motions, smiling and pulling him into a hug as soon as he's close enough. "You guys too," she murmurs, looking over Winn's shoulder to Lena and Dr. Hamilton. She embraces them one at a time, has to do so around Kara who is _still_ clinging loosely to her side, before easing her sore body back down. "Thank you, truly."

"It's the least we could do, Alex," Lena says and squeezes the woman's hand.

"You're feeling better?" Dr. Hamilton asks already going over Alex's statistics.

The brunette nods. "I can feel it going away."

"You should make a full recovery," Lena says and Kara doesn't think she's ever seen the CEO look prouder. "We found it all… everything you need to get back."

"Thank you," Alex says sincerely.

"Of course," Lena says and glances to Dr. Hamilton. "We should probably escape to the lab for a minute, we need to make more medication to give you for a second dose. We'll be back shortly," she finishes and as she turns to leave Kara seems to hesitate for a moment.

"Go," Alex whispers softly, she notices, of course. Because Alex notices everything when it comes to Kara.

Kara shoots her another look, eyes wide through dark lashes and Alex nudges her side. "I'll be right here. I'm not going anyway," she promises.

Kara nods and untangles herself slowly, before slipping into the hall and tugging Lena into a hug.

"Thank you," she murmurs into brunette's shoulder. Behind her J'onn and Eliza have gathered closer to Alex and Maggie catches the agent's gaze with a smile, knowing they'll get their chance to talk soon, but for now the sight of Alex breathing feels like enough to keep her powered for centuries. Doctors flood in and verify Alex's recovery before they trickle out and the activity lulls.

Kara and Lena stay embraced for a while, until Lena breaks the silence and leans back to look the blonde in the eyes. "Kara, I'm sorry," Lena says and her voice quivers and she gets that look she gets whenever she talks about her family. "I'm sorry my mom did that to you and Alex and I'm sorry—"

"Shh," Kara cuts her off. "It's not your fault. Rao, Lena, if you weren't here my sister wouldn't be _breathing_ right now, okay?"

Lena nods and Kara commits to continuing this conversation later. "Okay," the CEO nods. "I need to go, make sure everything is perfect for your sister."

"Thank you," Kara says and before Lena disappears down the hall, the blonde speaks up again. "Lena, we're going to talk about this more, all right? Some other time? You saved the day today and I don't want you to forget it."

Lena smiles over her shoulder. "You're too kind, Kara Danvers."

"No such thing," the blonde quips back with a grin before they both go their separate ways.

Kara turns back to the room and opens the door. She's greeted by the lovely sight of Alex reaching out for her, arms extended and fingers wiggling. The blonde giggles—some mix of immense happiness and relief and incredulity; she makes a beeline for Alex's bed, slipping beneath the sheets and wires and cuddling next to her sister.

Eliza, J'onn, and Maggie laugh-the only other three remaining in the room—and Alex smiles contently. They're both a little wired on medication and it shows in their goofy smiles and soft glances, the smoothness that's out of place in a way—a stark contrast to the jarring panic of just an hour earlier.

"I'll see you girls later," J'onn says after another half an hour passes and their easy conversation is interrupted by another DEO emergency happening somewhere in the city and J'onn is called away. He presses a kiss onto the foreheads of Kara and Alex. "I'm glad you're okay. Both of you," he says warmly before waving to the group and exiting the room.

Kara snuggles against Alex's shoulder eyes closing and the brunette nestles her nose into the blonde's hair. Maggie's looking at Alex with watery eyes and Eliza immediately takes notice.

She stands to excuse herself with a knowing smile, eyes sparkly. Maggie tries to convey that it's okay, Eliza can stay… this is her _daughter_ after all, but the scientist has none of it and waves Maggie off. "I'll give you girls some time alone. I'm going to go make sure everything's okay in the lab." She brushes her thumb across the oldest Danvers' sister's cheek. "My sweet Alex, I am so happy you're okay. I love you more than words can ever describe."

"I love you, Mom," Alex says with a sleepy smile across her face.

"Come on, Kara," Eliza prods, rubbing her youngest daughter's shoulder. "Let's give your sister and Maggie some space."

The blonde murmurs incoherently, nuzzling further into her sister's comfortable warmth.

"She's okay," Maggie says, an adoring smirk pulling at her lips. "Little Danvers looks wiped out."

As if on cue, Kara lets out a soft yawn in her half-conscious state. "Thanks, Maggie," she mutters, voice muffled by Alex's shoulder. "Don't wanna leave Alex ever."

The other women laugh and Alex squints at her mother. "Is she on something?"

"Medication was definitely involved at some point between the time I arrived and when you came to. With her powers down she's vulnerable and when everything… when everything happened, she was getting hysterical. Looks like they're just now kicking in," Eliza says and strokes Kara's hair. Alex fondly shakes her head at her little sister.

"Hey, you're not entirely clearheaded yourself, Al" Maggie says with a grin.

"I'm doing better than Kara," Alex teases, never removing her left arm from its position rubbing the younger woman's back. The brunette is about to make another quip when Kara snuggles impossibly closer, and Alex's mind is temporarily assaulted with images of Kara so torn up, hurting so badly that she was given something, and it tugs at Alex's heart. She cuts her sister a break, maybe the medicine is the only thing keeping her from falling apart right now. Alex looks up as Eliza runs a hand through her dark hair before she slips out of the room, promising Alex she'll be back in a bit.

Maggie moves to Alex's free side and drops into a chair, nestling her forehead against Alex's collarbone. "God, I'm so glad you're okay, Al. I don't know what I would've done if you'd died," she mutters. Her breath is hot against Alex's skin and her tears spill over onto perfect skin.

"But I didn't, not really," Alex says and slips an arm around her girlfriend's shaking back. "I'm always going to come back, okay?" She whispers into Maggie's hair and even though it's a promise she can't keep for certain (and they both know it), the words still bring comfort to Maggie.

The detective pulls back from the crook of Alex's neck, looks at Alex through watery eyes and sniffles. "I love you," she says. "I thought you were going to die and I was so afraid I wasn't going to get the chance to say it. I love you, Alex Danvers."

Alex grins. "I love you, too, Maggie Sawyer." It feels like home on her lips and sounds like music on her tongue. "I'll always be here, for you and for this oversized space puppy."

Maggie laughs and from beneath the mass of sheets Kara grumbles. "Hey!" she exclaims.

"I thought you were asleep, you dork," Alex says and runs her hand over Kara's hair.

The blonde shakes her head, nose rubbing defiantly against Alex's arm. "Not sleeping until you fall asleep. Not ever," she says and forces her heavy eyelids open.

"Well I guess I better get on that then, huh?"

"I think so, babe," Maggie says and Kara nods in agreement.

Alex lets her eyes fall closed. She's impossibly sore but her two favorite girls are pressed against her side and that's more important, more powerful than any pain she could ever feel, she pulls them both a little closer and imagines that their heartbeats are synchronized. She must be more tired than she thought because already the heaviness of sleep is tugging her away.

True to her word, neither Kara nor Maggie fall asleep until Alex's breathing eases and she snores lightly under the tubes and needles pressed into her skin. Until Alex subconsciously tightens her grip around the women. Their presence makes her okay, makes everything okay.

So this time, she slips away under moonlight and the comfortable weight of people she loves more than life itself. This time, she slips away knowing that the promise of tomorrow still urges her forward, grants her another day. This time, she slips away with a little smile tugging the corners of her lips and with both of her hands held.

/

Alex's eyes crack open, scanning across the room drenched in gentle white light, land upon the bent frame of her sister, knees pulled against her chest with arms wrapped around herself as she perches in a chair and stares out the window.

"Can't sleep?" Alex asks softly, her voice thick as it hangs in the night.

Kara nods and sniffles, the noise echoes through the room. Alex watches the younger woman's silhouette as her palms raise and wipe her eyes, and she is drenched in moonlight.

"What are the stars telling you tonight?" Alex asks gently, knows that somewhere in Kara's head the celestial bodies represent the voices of her parents, her dead world.

Her powers have returned, the drugs made useless and she feels _everything._ All the weight, all the guilt of the past hours. And the stars… The stars are telling her that she can't lose another person, that she can't _breathe_ unless Alex is somewhere on the planet breathing, too.

Kara could say all of this, but these moments need to be about Alex, so Kara shrugs… maybe another day, another time. Right now she just wants to be close.

She shakes her head and finally turns to face Alex and they hold eye contact in the little DEO hospital room with their only source of light blinking monitors and stars and the moon, each catching and glowing the identical tears tracks on both faces.

"Wha—what about you?" Kara asks. "What are you doing up?"

This time Alex shrugs, briefly makes out Eliza and Maggie's silhouettes asleep in two chairs on the far end of the room, before her gaze drifts back to Kara. "It just kind of happened, thinking about stuff…" About concrete floors and pain and the way things looked in her head as she was dying.

Kara nods and she knows what 'stuff' means to Alex; and Alex knows she knows so they just sit for a minute.

"Why are you out of bed?"

"I was thrashing a bit, didn't want to hurt you any more than you already are." Kara looks down and before Alex can voice her concern for her little sister, the blonde is talking again. "Speaking of which, how are you feeling?"

"A lot better."

"Does it still hurt?"

Alex shrugs again and Kara doesn't like it. "A little, I'm sore and everything kind of aches but it's all right. I'll be fine… you know what would make me feel even better though?"

Kara perks up a bit, eager to help. "What?"

"If you would come back in bed and lay with me," she smirks as she says it, knowing Kara needs just a little push to let her sister back in. Her heart swells when Kara grins a bit and scrambles off the chair, gangly legs tripping a bit until she under the sheets.

She curls up against Alex and they stay quiet for a while. Alex is nearly sure Kara's asleep, is about to close her own eyes when she hears the blonde's breathing pick up, a little at first just barely noticeable and then loud the next, heavy sobs that grate her lungs and leap out with so much force she shakes.

"Oh, hey, Kara," Alex whispers, immediately yanks the girl into a desperate hug. "Kara, come back to me."

The blonde shakes her head against Alex's shoulder, tears drench through the fabric. This isn't a panic attack, this is… this is just… _Rao,_ she doesn't know what this is, but she feels it. Feels it aching through her bones and chest. "I'm here," Kara cried. "I just… Alex, I can't lose you. You died in front of me. You were dead and I thought—I thought I was going to be alone, I thought you were going to leave me."

Alex shakes her head, brown hair bobbing and face determine. "No, Kara, I'm still here, okay?"

Kara gives a watery murmur.

Alex continues. "I'm still here with you and we're all okay. If anything happens I will _always_ come back fighting for you."

The blonde eases a little, some tension seeping from her muscles.

"Listen, Kara, you're right. I _was_ dying, but you know what?" Kara looks up and sees her sister crying, too, as she forces herself to continue. "I was dying and I was thinking about you. I was thinking about my baby sister and h-how much she needs me and how much I need her. I was dying and the thing I was saddest about was leaving you. So don't think for a single sliver of a second that I won't _ever_ do everything in my power to be here with you every step of the way, okay?"

"Rao, I'm so glad you're back," Kara murmurs and shifts upward so she can hug Alex. The blonde mutters _thank you_ and _I'm sorry_ over and over again into Alex's hair and the agent reassures Kara that _it's okay_ , and she'll keep whispering it until Kara doesn't need to hear it anymore.

They fall asleep like that, with tears mingling and hands linked together, sisters in all the ways that count. Alex thinks Kara's asleep when she finally lets herself be taken away by slumber, but Kara waits up again, just to be sure. Alex may be the older sister, but Kara has light-years behind her and a planet in her veins and her heart, and she will take all these things—all this strength she's had to build—to keep her sister safe. Even, if for tonight, that just means staying awake an extra few minutes until Alex's breathing eases and her heart is calm.

* * *

 **A/N:** See? Fluffy. I couldn't kill Alex for real, I love that girl too much.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)


	38. Chapter 38-2x14 'Part of the family' tag

**A/N:** Thank you for so much kind response on the last chapter! The poll hasn't been updated yet, so keep voting. :) New prompts will be added to the next updated version.

Big thanks to Ashes-Athanasia for today's prompt: **Kara feeling bad for all the damage she has done to the Danvers family.**

I wrote this prompt since it's tagged to last week's episode and I wanted to get it out before the next one airs.

I hope I didn't let you down. :) I'd love to hear all of your thoughts.

* * *

"Alex, your sister needs you now."

Alex's brows furrow at the words coming from Maggie over the phone. "Kara?" she asks, her sister hasn't made any indication of wanting to interact in the past week since Jerimiah's betrayal has been exposed—conversations are short and professional, only taking place at the DEO; interactions aren't punctuated with reassuring touches or soft words. Everything is cold and reserved. Kara doesn't call or seek out hugs when she's obviously upset and Alex _tries._ She tries to reach out but Kara keeps pushing, pushing, pushing her sister away and Alex is tired. Tired of this broken mess her life has crumbled into, except for Maggie. Strong and sweet and beautiful Maggie who is keeping Alex upright even though everything weighs against the agent's shoulders.

Maggie whose voice is carrying over the phone again.

"Well, yeah, Danvers. You got another sister I don't know about?" the detective huffs and she takes a few steps further from the chaos erupting between Kara and J'onn behind her.

Alex shakes her head and turns back around in the hallway, moving to the exit and making her way to her car. "No, sorry. I just… is everything okay?"

"I don't know." Maggie turns and looks behind her, sees Kara struggling to get away from J'onn. "I'm not even sure what happened. There must have been a fight or something, I stumbled upon her when I was patrolling an area for a case and J'onn came after her and I don't know, Al, I don't know but she is _freaked_ out."

Maggie tells Alex the address and the agent sighs and rubs her eyes as she puts her car into drive. "I'll be there in less than 10."

/

She closes her car door with a slam, relishes a bit in the way it echoes though the emptying streets at eight pm. She lets her boots clunk against the pavement as she walks to the back alley, but the sight that spreads before her eyes makes her stop, freeze for a moment before she rushes forward, steps suddenly light and efficient as she closes the distance between her and the scene.

Kara struggles against J'onn, pushes against his chest and kicks while Maggie tries to talk to the blonde.

"What the hell is going on?" Alex asks and J'onn turns to look at her. As his attentions shifts, Kara breaks free from his grasps. Her eyes are glazed, her strides hindered by a limp as she moves forward and tries to jump into the air and fly. Her hands slinks around her abdomen, seems to clutch her side as she stumbles.

Alex reaches forward and grabs Kara's wrist, both to steady and stop her. The brunette's grip is tight, fingers pressing into Kara's skin as she lowers her sister to the pavement.

"J'onn, what happened?" Alex looks up, voice controlled.

"She got hurt in the fight, the alien gives off a sort of toxin in the presence of skin-to-skin contact, psychologically exploits repressed or harbored fears, lets them magnify and grow until the victim is consumed in his or her thoughts. She was screaming your name when it happened."

Alex's heart bangs against her ribcage and guilt hangs like dread. She glances down at Kara, whose head is pressed against her knees. "What do we do now?" She asks and Kara straightens off the ground, legs trembling. She sways and crouches again, palms pressing into dark gravel.

Alex pushes her sister back into a sitting position.

J'onn keeps talking. "I've encountered this species before and the toxin won't cause permanent damage or harm her physically but she's shaken up, something must have been bothering her earlier for the effects to be this extreme with the few seconds of contact she had with the alien. There's more to this than your sister is letting on. She was trying to get away but she's in no position to be moving. I had to hold her back when she became hostile during her medical examination and tried to fly away."

Alex nods, shifts her gaze between J'onn, Maggie, and Kara. "Can I have a second alone with my sister please?"

Kara seems to only register Alex's voice and when she processes the last few words a sob erupts from the blonde's lips. Alex's face contorts in confusion.

J'onn and Maggie shuffle away, the latter giving Alex's hand a brief squeeze, before disappearing around the other corner to where two DEO units are set up.

"Kara, look at me," Alex says, reaching out for Kara's hands.

The moment their skins brushes together Kara recoils and presses her back against the brick wall behind her, the clay digs into the fabric of her super suit. Her hand sinks to press against her own side and she keeps her gaze down.

"What's going on with you?" Alex asks and her voice is a gentle set of vibrations swirling across the windy night air.

The blonde shakes her head, eyes squeezed closed. Alex can just barely see tears slipping from the corners and trailing down the younger woman's face.

"Kara, come on, I know things have been weird between us lately but I just want to help you. I'm still your sister. I'm always going to be your sister." Alex tilts her head, the way she always does when she's worried about Kara, when she needs to be the calmest, gentlest version of herself even though her heart thuds and her stomach tightens with worry.

A sob carves its way through Kara's chest. "I'm moving to metropolis," she chokes out. It's the first time Alex has heard her talk since she's arrived and the blonde's voice is so raw and hoarse Alex would comment on it if she isn't so startled by the words spilling from Kara's cracked lips.

"You're what? Kara, we talked about this already."

Kara tries to keep her eyes closed, if she looks at her sister's face she won't ever be able to make herself leave. She shakes her head and sends tears flying from her cheeks, darkening the pavement. "I've th-thought about it, and it's better for us…better for you. I'll go away and—and you can forget I exist. It'll take some time but it'll be okay and then you can—you can go be a doctor and be sa-safe with Maggie and without—without all of this," she finishes with a teary exhale and gestures to the remnants of the alien fight that had occurred just an hour early.

"How can you even talk like this, Kara? For me? How would any of that be better for me?" Alex asks and she can't take the sight of Kara's trembling hands anymore, so she reaches out and curls her fingers around the younger woman's, feels them shake in her grasp. "How do you think I could ever just _forget_ about you?"

This time Kara doesn't pull away. She answers in a whisper drenched in self-loathing and pain. "Because I ruin _everything_ for your family."

Alex's chest tightens, she's quickly becoming aware of what this is all about. She shakes her head. "Kara you _made_ my family. You _are_ my family."

Kara looks at Alex through red eyes and lashes drenched in tears. "But you said—you said that I was either part of the family or I wasn't… Like I'm not always part of it, like it de-depends on what I say or do, and I understand. But that's—that's why I have to leave."

At the repetition of the words she'd spat at Kara days ago, Alex is reminded of a feeling in her abdomen when she was twelve years old and playing soccer in the streets with some kids in her neighborhood. When a boy had meant to clear a ball but instead had sent it straight into her stomach. When she'd doubled over and gasped because it hurt so much _she couldn't breathe._

It's like that now, as she watches her sister be tortured by words she didn't even mean, by words that had been intended to stab and sting because Alex was hurt and blinded.

"Kara, come on," Alex says and rises from her crouched position, offering two hands to Kara.

"But Alex, you said—"

Alex cuts her off. "What I said was stupid and horrible and wrong, okay? I didn't mean it, Kara."

The blonde hiccups and slow tears still streak her cheeks as she accepts Alex's hands and allows herself to be pulled up. Her steps are shaky, her gait off. She keeps a distance between herself and Alex.

The space between them screams.

Alex tugs her sister closer and Kara crashes into her side with a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry," Kara says in an exhale that's so quiet Alex barely catches it.

The brunette squeezes Kara's shoulder. "No, Kar, this is my fault and _I'm_ sorry. We're gonna get you home now, okay?"

"Can we go to your place?" Kara asks and Alex nods.

"Of course."

Kara tries to keep her head up and her posture straight, tries to fight the fatigue that tugs heavily in each cell. She tries, but in the end she buries her head against Alex's shoulder as they walk and it slows them down a bit but neither sister says anything or shifts.

"Agent Danvers, Supergirl needs to finish her medical checkup," J'onn says as they pass. "All pressing vitals were checked and deemed satisfactory, but there may be some bruising or muscular injuries that need attention."

"I'll run the checkup myself," Alex says and her grip tightens around Kara's shoulder. "I'd like to get her home as soon as possible."

J'onn nods in understanding. "Take care, both of you."

Alex vocalizes her thanks, feels Kara murmur something of an apology to the older man against her sister's shirt. It's Maggie that intercepts them next, as they close the distance to Alex's car.

Kara feels her more than sees her at first, when Maggie rubs Kara's shoulder before she leans in to whisper something to Alex and Kara is sandwiched between them. She lets her eyes fall closed for a moment to the hum of voices above her.

Enough of their words poke through Kara's foggy brain to know they're talking about her and it should probably annoy Kara but this time she just feels relief that somebody noticed, even if it took an alien and more drama than the trashy reality TV shows she used to tease Alex for watching when they were in high school.

She just relieved that she's in Alex's arms instead of flying away; because while leaving is easier than being left, being held is everything. Feeling Alex's grip, hearing the same heartbeat that'd pulled her through nightmares and panic attacks and sobs as a teenager still in her ear, pulls a calm over her body.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mags," Alex says as Maggie leans back and Kara feels cool air fill the space the detective had previously stood.

"See you, Danvers." Maggie presses a kiss to Alex's cheek. She runs a hand along Kara's hair. "Get some rest, Little Danvers."

The blonde pulls her head up, heaving a breath that stammers through her lungs as she looks at the detective through sad, glassy eyes. "Thanks, Maggie."

Maggie gives a warm smile. "Of course," she says and waves goodbye as the Danvers sisters continue their trek to Alex's car.

The brunette becomes acutely aware of her sister's tension and tightly wound composure as she uses gentle hands to guide Kara into the passenger seat and make sure she's situated. Her body slumps against the seat, head lolling against the window before Alex has even pulled out onto the road.

/

They make it three hours until Kara has another breakdown, Alex isn't surprised—not entirely, Kara's been under a lot of stressed lately and that in combination with the alien fight and the toxin… it's enough to break anyone. But the sight of Kara toeing the windowsill, about to take off even with her leg quaking and bandaged and her ribs bruised, shakes Alex to her core.

"Kara," she says softly, her hair drips against her t-shirt, wet from the shower she'd just emerged from.

The blonde turns around, has guilt written all over her features.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't want to do any more damage," she says and lets her gaze fall back over the dark city skyline and all its hundreds of lights. "I just keep hearing your voice in my head and I keep thinking that maybe you were right."

Alex shakes her head, inches a step forward. "If you're going to have me talking in your head, listen to me saying I love you. Listen to me telling you that we're sisters, always and forever, no matter what."

"When my parents sent me away I was condemned, I was set on a path to live this life… but Alex, you weren't. I was given a sentence by my parents but it wasn't fair to include you or your family in that and I'm _sorry_."

"It's our family, Kara," Alex says. "Every bit yours as it is mine."

Kara shakes her head and Alex recognizes the telltale splatter of tears splashing against tile. "It's not fair to you… do you ever, do you ever think about how things would be if I didn't show up on your doorstep? Do you ever think about how you'd still have Jerimiah and you would have been a doctor and you wouldn't have grown up with so much pressure?"

This time Alex shakes her head. "I would have grown up with pressure if you were there or not, Kar. The things Cadmus did—those weren't, those _aren't,_ your fault. And Kara, if you hadn't come I wouldn't have joined the DEO or met J'onn or _Maggie…_ Can you imagine the horror?" She fields a joke and it pulls the briefest ghost of a smile across Kara's face. "And worst of all, I wouldn't have had someone to talk to all the time, for sister nights or sleepovers, I wouldn't have been able to teach you to drive or see your lousy attempts at surfing. I wouldn't have seen your art or showed you how to play guitar or had someone to look at stars with. I wouldn't have grown up with someone always at my side. Kara, I wouldn't have had you."

Kara dips her head and wipes her eyes. "You really think about it like that?"

Alex nods enthusiastically and chances a grin "Do you know how mad I would be if someone else had gotten to teach you how to make s'mores? I'd be livid. And don't even get me started on the pleasure of teaching you about Christmas, or _Harry Potter."_

Kara wavers a bit closer and her eyes aren't so locked on the horizon anymore.

"Hey, Kar? Do you ever think that you ever got knocked off course for a reason?"

The blonde sniffles. "What do you mean?"

Alex sees a chance in, voices a thought that's circled through her head for years. "I mean maybe you got knocked off course because you were waiting for me, because I needed to be born and grow up a bit so I could be your big sister. Because I was meant for that, and the universe knew it."

She has Kara's full attention now, has piercing sapphire trained on her through watery eyes. She continues with a steady voice and hands curled behind her back so Kara won't see the way they shake. "The universe knew we were meant to be sisters."

Kara's baited breath cracks and her stiff posture breaks and she lets her shoulders fall as she gazes at Alex with this achingly earnest and pure look blaring across her features. "The universe knew," Kara repeats and breathes again, her lips flicker up into a smile. "It knew between decades and galaxies."

Alex nods. "Uh huh, I think so."

"I think so too." A full smile splits Kara's face against tear tracks and puffy eyes.

Alex just wants to hug her, but then the blonde's features fall and she chokes a little on silent tears. "I just keep thinking, Alex, I can't stop thinking about everything."

"Then come think with me and maybe we can un-think for a while after that?" Alex reaches a hand out to Kara. Some cars honk below them, dogs bark and hearts beat rhythms. There's a boat out on the shore and a plane a mile away and rain on the other side of town. Kara can hear all of this, but she hears Alex the loudest.

She takes her sister's hand,

Slips from the windowsill into her sister's embrace.

Her _sister._

Their hearts were chiseled lightyears apart but they beat the same.

They are sisters.

The universe knows.

Kara does, too.


	39. Ch 39- Kara Gets Hurt, Maggie is There

**A/N:** Thanks for all your enthusiasm :)

I have a few pieces of info. to share real quick before we get into the chapter. First, the poll has been updated. However, due to the amount of prompts I've received (which I really do love and appreciate getting, you guys are the best) I'm doing something new, where if a prompt doesn't get any votes after it goes through once or twice I'll hold it in a document and try to add it when there's more space on the poll.

Also, I absolutely love writing these one shots, but I have a few other Supergirl stories I want to start working on, so there might be a bit more time between updates.

I had a couple users send in variations of this prompt which was lovely to write so thank you (and big thanks to HappyHour and SanversSuperCorp for suggesting the bulk of this prompt): **Kara gets stabbed/injured but manages to fly to Maggie's place. Alex is somewhere in another country so Maggie takes care of Kara**

I'd love to hear your thoughts, and now...

Big sister Maggie coming in 5...4...3...2...1!

* * *

Maggie Sawyer is not scared of thunderstorms. No. Absolutely not.

She just doesn't _like_ them. When she was small (small _er_ ) she would crawl into her parents' bed and curl into a ball beneath the covers until the thunder passed. But once Maggie was five years old and going to school, she'd learned to pull it together because she was a big girl now and she could be tough, and even if they scared her _a little,_ didn't mean she had to show it.

And now she's an adult and she's not scared of thunderstorms. She just doesn't like them.

She doesn't like them because it was raining when she was outed to her parents and kicked from the house she grew up in. It rained when she sprinted to her room and collapsed face down onto her bed, soaking her sheets with tears as she cried and cried and cried. It rained the next day at school when her best friend wouldn't even look at her and whispers followed Maggie through the halls like fire. It was raining when a drunk driver almost took her aunt, almost left her completely alone and with nowhere to stay.

Bad things happen when thunderstorms hit, so she doesn't like the way pavement gets slick and streets flood; or the cracks of thunder so powerful she feels them vibrate her ribs; or the howl of wind screaming outside.

She just doesn't like them.

So when she comes home today to Alex's apartment (that'd officially become _their_ apartment two months ago) and tracks raindrops across the floor she's not happy. She's actually a little pissed as she kicks off her shoes and throws her bag onto the counter.

Her eyes catch the clock that reads 10:38 pm as she yanks off her jacket and thinks that Alex should be home by now. Only then, she remembers that Alex is away, deep undercover in an undisclosed location that the detective doesn't even know because _Maggie, it's so confidential they won't even tell me until I'm being transported there, but don't worry, babe. It'll be fine and it's only a week or so and I'll be back before you know it._

Well she's not back and Maggie does know it, and it's only been six days. And how much longer is that last day going to drag on for?

She stands shivering in the living room, hair dripping and water droplets slapping against the floor, for a moment before she drags a hand over her wet face and blinks away the rain clinging to her eyelashes before trudging to the bathroom.

She strips out of her drenched clothes, grumbling a stream of curse words that would give the storm outside a run for its money when the wet denim of her jeans catches around her ankle and she hops around on the tile for a second as she tries to pull it off and nearly loses her balance in the process.

It honestly feels like a historic victory and gift from God when Maggie climbs into the shower and the first droplets of warmth meet her skin and bathe her body in the soft heat. She closes her eyes and a tiny smile curls across her face even as she hears another boom of that damned thunder.

Except, she's reaching for the shampoo (okay _Alex's shampoo_ because she misses her girlfriend, damn it is that really a crime?) when she hears it again, only it doesn't really sound like thunder.

It doesn't actually sound like thunder at all.

There's another thud in quick succession and that is definitely not thunder. Not even close.

Maggie's genuinely considering ignoring it, literally has her fingers curled around the shampoo bottle, poised to squeeze when she hears a different noise creep through the rain and shower; hears what sounds suspiciously like a window opening. She curses the fact that she's already locked up her gun in a safe.

 _Screw it,_ she finally decides as she turns off the shower and quickly tugs on the sweatpants and sweater she'd had the foresight to grab after deciding that she didn't want to do the whole 'trekking through the apartment while soaking wet' thing.

She eases the door open, peers around the corner with a plan formulating in her head when her breath catches in her throat. Blood is smeared across the window, quickly mixing with rain and slithering away. The deep crimson is splattered across the wood floor, dripping into a puddle.

Maggie's eyes follow the blood upward to the source, sees Kara leaning against the kitchen island. Her right arm is slinked around her abdomen, her left hand attempts to grab the counter but keeps slipping against blood and when she finally grips the edge some of the granite crumbles beneath the pressure of her grasp.

Her frame quivers, shaking legs and torn super suit illuminated as lightning bolts across the sky.

"Holy shit," Maggie mutters and then she doesn't even have time to panic or be scared or even ask what's wrong or what the hell happened because Kara sinks to the floor and the sound of her knees hitting the ground and her body following as it sinks into its own blood reverberates through the apartment.

"Sorry," Kara whispers and her voice is nearly drowned out by Maggie's own breathing, before the storm even thunders and the wind shrieks. "I'm sorry. I didn't—I didn't have anywhere else to go and…" she doesn't get to finish her sentence though, as a ripple of pain sears through her body and she doubles over, hand still clutching her abdomen as a suppressed scream bursts from her lips.

Maggie runs a hand over Kara's hair, gently turns Kara's frame so she's lying on her back. "It's okay... I—I'm glad you came. We have to get you to the DEO. I'm going to call—"

"No!" Kara yelps, watery eyes locking onto Maggie's "You can't! It's been destroyed, alien attack." She makes a move to curl onto her side, hand still pressing hard against her abdomen, blood pouring through her fingers.

"Okay, okay, I won't," Maggie promises and links her finger's with Kara's shaking hand, uses her other to push the blonde back so she's lying flat. "What happened? What can I do?" Her eyes dart over Kara's frame, stop on the place from her abdomen where blood spills. Any other injuries will have to wait until she can get the bleeding under control.

"It's kryptonite," she wheezes, another spasm of pain racks her body and the squeeze she gives Maggie's hand tells the other woman that Kara's powers are fluctuating. "I need—I need to get it out. When it's out the w-wound will heal if we c-can do it before I solar flare."

Maggie nods. "You stay here and don't you dare pass out on me, okay? I'm going to grab a few supplies. I'll be back in a minute."

"O-okay," Kara winces, curling her legs toward her chest as Maggie stands. "Mag… Maggie if…" her words trail off as Maggie disappears from Kara's field of vision and the act of merely staying awake begins to consume all of her focus.

Maggie's image invades the darkening haze of Kara's sight a moment later. "Do you want to move to the couch or bed?" the older woman asks.

Kara shakes her head, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "I don—don't think I can right n—now."

"Okay," Maggie says and slides a pillow under Kara's head. The blonde blinks and her tears spill over, a whimper falling from her lips. "Hey, it's okay, Kar. You're doing great, I'm going to remove the big piece now, okay?"

"Okay, it's syn-synthetic, once it's out of contact w-with me you can deactivate it w-with low temperatures like a fr-freezer," Kara murmurs and receives a nod in response, eyes closing as she feels Maggie uncurl one of her fists and fill it with wound fabric from her cape.

"You might want something to squeeze," she explains, gently rubbing Kara's leg as she moves to the side where her hand is pressed against her skin.

"Kara, I need you to let go for me," Maggie says softly.

"I can't," Kara mutters, arm curling tighter around her abdomen. Her eyes are closed tightly, teeth grinding in pain.

"Yes, you can. I need to get to the kryptonite and then it'll be over quick," Maggie explains, pulling on crime scene gloves she has in her bag for work and Kara sucks in a sharp breath as Maggie pries her weakening grip away from her side, revealing mangled skin that hangs in strips, and a sick green glow emanating from beneath the outpour of blood.

Maggie kneels over Kara, prays to gods she's never believed in, and plunges her fingers into Kara's flesh.

The blonde's eyes snap open, body convulsing upward as she screams, and Maggie's grip finds the largest shard of kryptonite. She yanks it out with suddenly shaking fingers, the substance grates Kara's skin, slits her flesh.

Another yelp shreds her throat raw and she collapses, arched back slamming against the ground.

Her vision bursts sparks of color behind her eyes. A moment passes and it's not until she hears the sound of the freezer shutting, feels Maggie's firm but kind touch at her side, that she opens her eyes and through watery vision sees her sister's girlfriend.

She sniffles, closes her eyes again. The flames of pain recede fractionally. "Is it out?"

Maggie nods.

"Sorry," Kara mutters again and a sob lurches from her aching lungs.

"Shh. It's okay, you're okay," Maggie coos, pressing a towel against Kara's skin to quell the bleeding. They fall into a tense silence as Maggie pushes and Kara tries her best not to squirm beneath the pain scorching across her abdomen.

"Mags?" Kara whispers in a breathy exhale, eyes still clenched shut.

"Yeah?"'

"I think—I think it's healing pretty well, but my powers are slowing down... there's still kryptonite in my system but the pieces are too small to get out."

Maggie pulls the towel away, sees that the bleeding has stopped, that the depth and width of the gash have decreased. Her mouth almost drops in awe, when she hears Kara's already labored breathing grow louder.

She looks over to see Kara trying to prop herself up on her elbow, skin paling, gaze glassy again.

"Hey Kar, what's wrong? You're not looking so great."

"Mag—Maggie, I think I'm gonna be sick."

Maggie darts across the room, returns with a small trashcan and places it against the blonde's side and helps her sit up.

Another set of minutes pass as Kara sits, eyes closed, breath fast; and Maggie spends her time cleaning and dressing Kara's wound with gauze. When she finishes Kara stays taut and shivering so Maggie takes the time to treat other gashes littering Kara's skin.

The blonde's looking a little better when Maggie pulls back this time. "I think we should move to the bathroom if you're up for it… you good?"

Kara nods, her gaze is still fuzzy and it's a little hard to focus on Maggie but the burning in her skin has faded.

They stand slowly, Maggie holding both of Kara's arms. The room spins in her vision as Kara stands, she stumbles forward and a sharp pain shoots up her leg; she grabs the countertop, and it's slick with her own blood. Her face feels hot, body shaking and her stomach lurches.

She lunges for the trashcan, hunches over it as her stomach aches and she throws up. Maggie holds back Kara's hair with one hand, places the other on Kara's hip to steady her.

"Not good," Kara mutters in between coughs as she spits. Finally leaning back up after another minute of heaving.

"It'll pass," Maggie says, takes the trashcan from Kara when she's sure the blonde is done and sets it on the floor. She'll deal with it once Kara's settled, but right now the Kryptonian is swaying and paling at an alarming rate. "Come on," Maggie says gently and tucks her shoulder under Kara's arm to help stabilize her. "You need to lie down, get some rest, but first we need to get you cleaned up real fast."

"I think I'm mostly okay," Kara says, takes a small step and grimaces. "It's jus-just my leg really hurts when I walk… It nor-normally would have healed, whatever's wrong with it, but my powers have been fluctuating and weak-weakening with the kryptonite still inside me and-"

"Kara," Maggie says as they inch another step forward. "It's okay. We'll take care of it."

It takes four and a half minutes to finally reach the bathroom. Four and a half minutes of slow steps and Kara biting her lip in an effort to suppress yelps of pain. By the time they reach the door Kara's body sags against Maggie, head dipping and Maggie eases her down onto the closed lid of the toilet.

She's quiet and efficient as she works, wipes Kara's face of the dirt and blood and sweat that'd accumulated there in the past few hours. She ties blonde hair back into a French braid and as her gentle fingers plait against Kara's head, the younger woman's eyes close, her breathing steadying.

"Are you feeling any better?" Maggie asks and Kara nods slowly. The burning pain has dulled and she feels a numbing exhaustion clouding her injuries, feels her head fall forward and jerks awake.

Maggie rubs her shoulder, promises Kara that she'll get to sleep soon, and disappears for a moment before returning with a pair of pajamas Kara keeps at the apartment.

Helping Kara change lets Maggie know that Kara's standards of 'feeling better' must be pretty low, because in addition to the puncture wound they'd dealt with earlier, dark bruising blooms across her abdomen and Maggie's seen that injury pattern enough to know it means Kara's sporting a couple of cracked ribs. And then there's the knee, that's swollen and turning purple and the source of Kara's wince every time they walk.

Maggie catalogs the injuries as she gently pulls Kara to her feet, mentally notes what she can do that might make Kara feel better. They shuffle to the bedroom, Kara grasping tightly onto Maggie. Kara tries to hide her grimace with each step, but even she can't suppress the sigh of relief that emerges when they reach the bed and Maggie stacks some pillows behind Kara before easing her down.

"Do you need anything?" Maggie asks and Kara shakes her head, eyes already half closed.

"Thank you," Kara says, fingers lazily toying with the hem of the comforter. "For everything."

"Of course. I'll be right back, I'm just going to grab you a few things." With that, Maggie turns from the room, returns minutes later with her hands full. She sets a bottle of water on the nightstand and situates ice across Kara's ribs and knee, before spreading a blanket on top of everything when she notices Kara shivering.

"Good?"

Kara nods; she's getting that faraway look in her eyes and Maggie feels her chest tighten a little for the girl in front of her that's lost so much.

"Okay. I'm going to go clean up a bit out there. You get some rest." She hovers awkwardly over Kara for a moment, knows Kara is tactile and wants to help her feel better, but doesn't know how. She settles for a squeeze on Kara's shoulder, rubs her thumb over the edge of the blonde's collarbone, her face is still contorted tight in pain, muscles held taut. "I'll come check on you in a little bit and remove that ice, too."

Kara nods again and Maggie disappears from view as the Kryptonian's eyes can't keep open and fall closed.

/

A little over fifteen minutes have passed when she returns to the bedroom, with most of the mess cleaned up and all bodily fluids removed from the apartment kitchen. She walks quietly, eases her feet down with each step and moves through the darkness.

Maggie's lifts up Kara's blanket and gently pulls off the ice, is in the process of returning from depositing it in the kitchen when she hears a sob bubble from beneath the mass of blankets on the bed.

"Kara," she whispers, tugging on the lamp next to the bed and soaking the room in dim yellow light. Kara's eyes stare past her, puffy and red. "What's wrong? Does something else hurt? Did it get worse?"

Kara shakes her head and her bottom lip quivers again. "It's okay," she says and Maggie can barely hear her. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not." Maggie's voice is gentle as she climbs onto the bed and sits beside the blonde, not talking again until they're holding eye contact. "Kara," she says. "What happened at the DEO tonight?"

Kara sobs again and Maggie twists her own fingers nervously. Handling tears is not her forte. "It was so horrible, Maggie. It was so bad. Cadmus attacked; they destroyed everything and I _tried…_ I tried to stop them but I couldn't there was too much… there was _so much_ of them and now so—so much of the building is ruined and so many people are h—hurt, and…" she chokes on a cry and Maggie takes the younger woman's shaking hand in her own.

"I'm sorry," Maggie whispers and it pulls Kara's eyes back toward her. "I'm so sorry that that happened and I'm sorry people got hurt and that the DEO was damaged, but it wasn't your fault, Little Danvers. I know you, and that means I know you did everything you could."

Kara lets out another cry in response, but her shoulders don't shake so violently as before. She looks tired, and younger than Maggie's ever seen her as the blankets swallow her, only a pale, watery face and blonde hair peeking out. Lids fall half over those blue eyes again, a small yawn taking over her features.

Maggie smiles softly and thumbs away the tears still clinging to Kara's cheeks. "You look exhausted."

Kara mumbles something and Maggie laughs, sleepy Little Danvers is something she can deal with. Something she _has_ dealt with on numerous movie nights with the sisters, and even later nights of joint crime fighting at the DEO.

"So maybe you should sleep soon, because Little Danvers, you are _not_ all sunshine in the morning when you haven't slept much. You're actually borderline mean sometimes," she teases, pressing on the fact that she does not think she's seen Kara act mean ever.

Kara gasps, feigning surprise and offense as her eyes open, sudden alight with attention and grateful for a distraction. "I am not."

Maggie raises a brow, bites back a grin. "Tell that to the three coffee mugs you've sent to the garbage because you shattered them in the past week. All before 7:30 am and all on nights of less than five hours of sleep."

"I—that was my powers—they-I can't… I can't co—ugh," Kara sputters and Maggie can't hold back a laugh as Kara faux glares at her, sticks up her nose indignantly. "I wasn't aware you were keeping tabs on me, detective."

"It wasn't exactly discreet, Little Danvers. You were right in front of me. And they broke rather loudly." Maggie laughs and Kara leans over to swat her shoulder, a little shimmer aching behind the glassy cover that'd held the blonde's eyes all night.

As she moves, something tugs sharply in her abdomen. A flash of burning pain draws a gasp from her lips, sends her sinking back against the pillows.

"Hey, you okay?" Maggie asks, sitting upright again.

Kara nods, face contorted back into a grimace of pain. She breathes hard and slow for a minute until the hurt passes and only discomfort remains. When she uncurls herself, finally regaining the ability to focus on something other than the burning in her side she realizes that somewhere in the cloud of pain Maggie had taken her hand, held it tightly through the whole thing. Just like Alex would have done.

It takes Kara a moment to realize Maggie's talking and when she looks over at the detective, the woman is already halfway through an apology.

"—and I'm sorry I'm not very good at taking care of people. Even though I wish I were better and I'm sorry if I'm making this worse and I—"

"Maggie," Kara cuts her off. She's not sure she's ever seen the detective look so unsure. "You're doing great. Look," She holds up their hands, where they're still curled together, shakes them a little before letting go. "You're a natural."

Maggie smiles a little at that. "Thanks, Little Danvers," she says, begins playing with the blonde's hair. "You really should get some sleep soon. Or your sister's going to kill us both. Whenever she gets back."

Kara nods and closes her eyes just as a crack of thunder booms outside. Kara snaps alert and Maggie jolts, she'd forgotten about all _that,_ with the chaos that'd happened with Kara.

Kara's looking at her with eyebrows crunched, the corners of her lips frowning.

Maggie takes a deep breath and sighs. "I don't… I don't like thunderstorms very much," she explains. "They're fine, I guess." She drops her gaze to her hands in her lap. "Just a lot of bad feelings attached to them. Times when I'd felt like I'd lost my family and stuff. It's stupid, I should be over it—but thunderstorms just take me back to those bad moments sometimes, I don't know…" She's starting to ramble and Maggie Sawyer is not one to ramble.

"I don't really like them either," Kara whispers in the dark and Maggie looks back up at her. "They remind me of home… of Krypton, when it exploded. I couldn't hear anything when it happened because I was already in space, but the thunder is how I imagined it sounded. And the lightning is _so_ similar." She swallows thickly. "It's just a lot, you know?"

Maggie nods, she does know. To some degree at least. "I'm sorry," she says. She hasn't heard Kara talk about Krypton a lot and it makes her heart ache to hear the younger woman speak about her dead planet.

Kara gives a sad smile. "I'm sorry about your family, too."

Maggie shrugs as if to shove away all the painful emotions, to erase the knot in her stomach. They fall into a mostly comfortable silence, Kara's breathing slows and a few more minutes pass. Maggie's about to ease herself out of the bed, convinced the blonde's asleep, when Kara talks again. "Maggie?"

"Hmm?" the detective hums softly.

"You're basically my second big sister now. You know that, right?" she mutters sleepily, eyes closed.

Maggie's beaming—so big, that she feels a bit ridiculous sitting there in the dark, feeling her heart melt at the phrases falling from the exhausted alien in front of her. It means more than she can ever say, to be accepted into this family. To have every piece of her loved again. "Thanks, Kara," she says, voice thick and… are those tears she feels in her eyes? _Maggie, pull yourself together._ She's a detective for Christ's sake. She's taken down criminals quite literally double her size and here she is, being disarmed by a Danvers once again. Damn them all and their big hearts and bright smiles and sweet words that fill all the cracks inside her. "I'm really glad to hear it."

Kara looks content, smile on her face as she curls onto her side to the best of her ability given all the injuries littering her body, and Maggie's sure the blonde is actually asleep a few minutes later when she mutters something that sounds suspiciously like 'potstickers' and 'the fluffiest dog' she's ever seen.

Maggie grins, shaking her head as she slips off the bed and returns to the kitchen to finish cleaning the area. The pandemonium of the scene elicits tightness in her chest, she feels the grasp of fear return—cold and slimy in her stomach. Kara had been in a bad position when she'd showed up at the apartment just a few hours ago. Maggie heart clenches when she thinks of her girlfriend somewhere in the world, maybe on her way back even, and hopes she'll be home soon.

/

Her wish is granted, sooner than Maggie expected at 3:37 AM when the apartment door cracks open slowly and Alex shifts her eyes from the ground over to the kitchen counter where she sees Maggie turned and looking out the window, fingers wrapped around a coffee mug.

"Maggie," she says quietly and before she can inquire about why her girlfriend is awake at such a weird time or why the scent of cleaning supplies lingers slightly in the air, Maggie's in her arms, shaking a little as she presses her face into Alex's neck, all her emotions surfacing again when she feels the comfort of Alex so close.

"I missed you," Maggie says, her voice soft and trembling. She presses their lips together into a soft kiss.

"I missed you, too," Alex says when they break apart.

The agent drops her bag to the ground and lets her coat fall from the other arm so she can hug Maggie properly and once her arms are free, she tugs her close.

"What happened?" she whispers into Maggie's ear, all the pieces of this moment adding up to inform her that something's not right.

"The DEO got attacked, I don't think anyone died but a lot of agents were hurt." Maggie feels Alex tense in their embrace.

"Do I need to go? Is there anything I can do?"

Maggie leans back, a shrug falling from her shoulders. "I don't know, I didn't hear much." A stuttering breath pulses from Maggie's lungs and Alex waits for her to continue, puts hands on both of Maggie's shoulders. "Kara got hurt. Badly," Maggie says and her voice cracks.

Alex's heart drops. She lowers a hand to take Maggie's and squeezes it gently as her eyes dart across the apartment in the darkness. "Is she here? Is she okay now?"

Maggie nods. "I think she will be. I did my best to help her but the DEO med unit was down and I had no one to go to so I tried and I'm sorry, Alex. I'm so sorry. I don't know if I was enough or if anything I did was right and I just…" she trails off, sucking in a deep breath. "Now you're back and I didn't even ask how you are. How was your mission? Are _you_ okay?"

"Shh. I'm fine." Alex pulls Maggie back into a hug, rests her chin on the detective's head as she holds her close for another moment. "And Kara's bounced back from a lot. That kid's resilient. I'm going to go check on her. Bedroom, right?"

Maggie nods and even though their hug ended, she keeps her hand in Alex's and explains what'd happened, moment by moment, injury by injury as they walk to the bedroom. Alex is nearly done checking over Kara, has just reassured Maggie that Kara will be fine, the kryptonite is clearing from her system, albeit at a slow rate and while Kara's most likely in pain, she will be okay; when the blonde's eyes crack open and after a few fluttery blinks she's able to focus on her sister.

" 'lex," she whispers, word slurring as she tries to sit up and winces.

"Hey there, easy now," Alex says and her arms find Kara's back and shoulder, help lower her down.

Once Kara's lying against the pillows again, her hand reaches out, fingers curling around the hem of Alex's shirt. "You're home."

"I am." Alex puts a hand on Kara's leg, pats gently. "You feel okay?"

"Yeah," Kara mutters.

"Good."

"Missed you," Kara says and she must be pretty exhausted because her eyes are already slipping closed again and usually when Alex gets home from a long mission her sister is up and bouncing with celebratory food and an arsenal of questions and stories and new tv episodes to catch both sisters up on everything they missed.

"I missed you, too. I'm glad you're okay." She strokes Kara's hair, presses a kiss against her head as Kara mumbles an unintelligible response.

"Go back to sleep, Kar," she whispers, fingers still threading through blonde waves, pulled loose from a braid. "I'll be here in the morning." She glances over Kara once more, needs to reassure herself that her little sister is safe.

"Wait." Kara's hand emerges from beneath the sheets to curl around Alex's wrist, grip weak. "Hug," she murmurs.

Alex smiles, shares a look with Maggie on the side, and climbs across the bed to pull her sister in the softest embrace she can manage, knowing how much a tight hug can hurt on broken ribs. Kara apparently doesn't give a shit, because when Alex tries to wiggle out of the hug a minute later, the blonde only tightens her grip and cuddles closer.

When Alex looks down she sees that the younger woman has already fallen completely back into sleep, molding herself to Alex instinctively and keeping her arms wrapped around her sister. "It looks like I'm stuck here," Alex says to Maggie, not looking upset at all. "Care to join us?" the agent asks, pulling an arm free from Kara's grasp and patting the space beside her before holding an arm out to Maggie.

"If you insist." The detective grins and pushes off the doorframe, crossing the room to snuggle under Alex's arm.

"Thank you for taking care of Kara."

Maggie smiles, drops her head onto Alex's shoulder. "She's going to be okay? I was so scared I was going to mess something up."

"She'll be fine. You did well."

Maggie lets out a sigh of relief, warm breath tickling Alex's neck. "Good. I'm glad you're back."

The detective closes her eyes and Alex does the same, her lips brush against Maggie's hair and Kara stirs just a little when she whispers. "Me too."


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N:** I apologize big time for disappearing a little bit, things are super hectic here with me right now, so it's been difficult to find time to write. Please forgive me for the ridiculous stretch of time between updates.

Today's prompt came from AO3 and it wasn't on the poll, which means the poll from last time is still open. So, if you haven't voted yet and still want to, go for it! Any submitted prompts will be added when the poll gets updated next.

Also before you read, TRIGGER WARNING in this chapter for discussion/consideration of self-harm.

I received this prompt and hoped to handle a very serious concept respectfully.

* * *

"Alex," Kara screams, rushing over through smoke and rubble to reach her sister where med agents had gathered. Her heart is racing, breath on the edge of hyperventilation. This is her fault, if she hadn't been so caught up with the first alien, she would have noticed the second appearing. She would have been able to stop it before its scaly hands curled around Alex and threw her across the street. She would have noticed, before this moment, before minutes had passed with Alex lying on the verge on unconsciousness in the middle of the pavement, curled tightly in pain.

She would have been there. But she wasn't, and it hurts like there is fire inside her, scorching her heart.

 _Alex, Alex, Alex._ She needs to get to Alex.

"Alex!" she yells again, but the scene is too loud and more medics are crowding around.

This is why Alex had made the comment weeks ago, about Kara choosing the Danvers family or not, like she wasn't a part of it. This is why some distance has wedged its way between them, sent Kara slipping away.

She doesn't hear Alex calling her name, as tears streak Kara's cheek. The blonde is already limping away, back turned, body bruised from the blows it'd received during the fight.

Bad things happen when she's around.

She needs to get out.

"Hey, you need to go over there," a medic says, Kara doesn't realize he's pointing to a DEO ambulance suited specifically for her, all she notes is that he's directing her away from Alex.

Like people should.

She takes to the skies on wobbly legs, even though she knows she shouldn't, even though it hurts.

Her lungs are screaming.

She finds that she doesn't really care.

The pain feels justified.

She hiccups as the sobs come faster and the streets below her blur.

On the scene, Alex keeps calling to her and when she sees Supergirl shoot above the smoke, flying with an instability that crosses the line into dangerous, she jerks out of the medics' grasps, makes a move to stand even through her body aches in protest.

"You need to stay put, Agent Danvers," a doctor says. "We don't know if anything's broken yet and that gash on your side is definitely going to need stitches."

"What I _need_ is to see my sister," she practically growls, shakes off the hand of the next person who touches her.

"Uhh, detective?" Another doctor says and looks toward Maggie, has observed the pair enough at different crime scenes to know that Maggie is one of the only people Alex will actually listen to.

Maggie turns around from where she'd been on her phone, trying to reach Kara per Alex's request.

"Hmm?" she murmurs, eyes shifting to catch the sight of Alex struggling against the doctors, trying to get off the stretcher.

"Okay, seriously, Alex, you need to stay put," Maggie says as she walks over.

"But Maggie, Kara—"

"Listen, I'll go after her, you stay here and get the treatment you need. We'll all meet up for movie night in like an hour and it'll all be good."

Alex shakes her head. "Something's not right, Maggie."

"Hey, nothing we can't fix." Maggie notices the tenseness in Alex's body, knows her worry runs deep. So she takes Alex's hand in her own and uses her free fingers to brush some of Alex's bloodied hair from her forehead. "I'll go take care of her. You let yourself get intact again and come meet us wherever we are if you're feeling up to it, sound okay?"

/

"Kara," Maggie calls out from the other side of the door when she realizes it's not closed. Instead, the door is cracked open, the frame crumpled and crushed in the shape of fingertips. She presses the door open further—muscles taut, eyes sweeping the room for any indication of a threat.

"Kara!" Maggie drops her gun onto the counter, rushes to Kara's hunches form, sees a sick green glow emanating from some source out of Maggie's sight.

Kara's hollow sobs are suddenly the only sound Maggie can process. Her heart drops in her chest as she sees Kara running her finger over the edge of the green rock, twisting it around in her hands as she sways and presses harder, harder, harder.

Her skin threatens to split when Maggie can't stop herself from gasping. "Kara, what are you doing? Why do you have that?"

The blonde freezes, hand still curled around the rock cutting into the palm of her hand as she grips it in shock. "I don't know," she lets out in a watery murmur wedged between two heavy sobs. She drags a tight fist across her cheeks, managing to pull it away from the kryptonite and shoves away the tear that continue to stream down her face. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Come here," Maggie says softly, opening her arms and Kara lunges forward to Maggie's grasp, stays there sobbing and shaking.

"Pl-please don't hate me," Kara whispers between cries. "I don' know wh-what I would do if you or Alex thought about me any differently."

Maggie leans out of Kara's grip just enough to look her in the eyes. Maggie wipes tears off Kara's cheeks, brushes hair away from her face with such gentleness that Kara almost dissolves into sobs again.

"Kara, we love you. We love you _so_ much."

Maggie tugs her closer, holds Kara's quivering frame, runs a hand over the Kryptonian's blonde hair. "It's okay, Kar. You're going to be okay."

They stay like that for a while, until Kara's tears quiet and her lungs stop screaming for air. She sways, still fighting nausea and dizziness from the green kryptonite tight in her hand. She squeezes her eyes closed, raises her free palm up to her forehead, and it's then that Maggie's concern shifts just enough for her to become acutely aware of the heat radiating from Kara's hand still looped behind the detective's back. She takes Kara's wrist gently in her grasp, pulls it between them where she can see it.

"Kara, you should let go. Please don't do this to yourself."

"I can't," she breathes out, her lips tremble a little as she talks and Maggie's afraid she's going to cry again.

"How about I help you, okay?" Maggie says, her words are practiced and calm, and they pull the faintest of nods from the blonde standing in front of her. So Maggie moves her hand from Kara's wrist to her palm, until their fingers are pressed together, and the detective can feel Kara's fingers vibrate in weakness under the kryptonite; and Maggie doesn't have to go any further because Kara releases her grasp and it sends the mineral clattering against the ground.

Kara's hand seeks out Maggie's to fill the empty space in her palm, so they curl their fingers together and Kara squeezes tightly. There's so much she's hanging on for.

Her limbs feel heavy, her stomach hurts and her head is reeling. It only takes another second of kryptonite exposure before she's stumbling forward, hand slipping from Maggie's.

"Hey, how about we sit down? Right over here," Maggie says as she leads Kara to the couch and eases her down. "There we go. You just hang tight for a second."

She puts the kryptonite in the lead box on the counter where it must have come from and notes the DEO label across the top. She wonders if Kara had stopped there on the way over, or if it's been sitting in her apartment for days.

Maggie comes back to Kara a minute later and presses a glass of water into the younger woman's hands as she scans her for injuries, but it looks like she's already healing well with the kryptonite secured and away.

"I'm going to call Alex, okay?"

"No!" Kara yelps suddenly, posture straightening. "No," she says again with more control. "She can't know what I was about to do… what I _was_ doing _._ I don't want to disappoint or worry her."

"No, Kar, Alex wouldn't ever be disappointed in you. She's your big sister. She loves you and she's always going to worry about you, no matter what. Just like you always worry about her, too."

Kara shakes her head, sinks back into the couch. "Please don't call her."

"Okay, I'm not going to do anything you don't want, Little Danvers." Maggie slides her phone back into her pocket. "You feeling any better?"

Kara nods, fingers twisting around the edge of the blanket Maggie had set in her lap when they'd first reached the couch.

"So, you wanna tell me what's going on?" Maggie asks gently as she takes a seat on the couch, leaves some distance between her and Kara—giving the younger woman control. "No stress if you don't want to, but just know that I'm always here to listen. Alex, too, of course."

"It's too much," Kara says and dips her gaze back to the ground, fingers curling together so tightly the skin at her knuckles turns paler than the rest of her already exhausted and strained body. "It just—I… everything is changing and e-everyone is changing and all I do is hurt people."

She chokes on a sob gathered in her throat and refuses to let it fall, and her whole body shakes and her breath is coming faster again and her lungs shriek for air.

"Kara," Maggie interjects, lays a hand on Kara's shoulder. "Breath, sweetie." There's so much more she wants to say. Wants to tell Kara that she saves more people than she could ever hurt, that she is loved, and that they will always, _always,_ have her back.

But right now, more than anything, Kara needs someone to listen.

"I jus-just want to disappear. I want all of this to be over. Some-something's got to change. I can't, I can't keep going like this, I _can't."_

"You don't have to," Maggie says. "We're going to help you, we'll do whatever it takes."

Kara shakes her head and little tear droplets paint the couch.

"It'll all be okay."

"Well it doesn't feel like it!" Kara yells and shoves herself off the couch, wobbling as she does so. "It doesn't feel like anything is going to be right again, Maggie. That's the _problem_ ," she screams and reaches toward the coffee table to steady herself, drops into a crouched position, head falling into her hands.

"Okay," Maggie says and sits crisscross beside her, back pressed against the couch. They stay like that in silence, with quiet tears streaming down Kara's cheeks and wracking her body. A few minutes pass before Kara raises her head, wiping her eyes and looking over at Maggie.

"I'm sorry," Kara whispers in a raspy, quivering voice.

"There's nothing to worry about, Little Danvers."

Kara nods and looks down again. "Can you actually—do you think you could…"

"Call Alex?" Maggie asks and Kara nods.

"If you think it won't b-bother her?"

"Kara, I don't think you ever bother Alex. Except maybe when you take the last slice of pizza," she teases and it pulls a little smile across Kara's face. Right now, it feels like the biggest victory in the history of the world to Maggie as she passes the phone to Kara. "You should be honest with how you're feeling. She's only going to want to help."

Kara nods, because she knows it's true even if it's difficult, even if there's been distance between them even since Alex's comment about being part of the family, when Jerimiah returned.

The agent picks up on the third ring and her voice alone is enough to jar Kara's heart as it carries through the line saying "Hey Maggie, is she okay?"

"It's me, actually," Kara says with a sniffle.

"Oh, Kara." The blonde practically feels Alex's sigh of relief through the phone. "I was so worried."

"You're the one that got hurt," Kara says. "It was my fault."

"No way, Kar. It absolutely wasn't your fault and it absolutely wasn't a big deal. I've already been stitched and wrapped up. I'm fine, how are you?"

"I'm…"

There's a pause and she's about to fill the silence with lies about how okay and how fine she is, when Kara fields a glance at Maggie and receives a small nod and warm smile of encouragement.

"I'm not doing so well, Alex."

"What's wrong? You can always come to me, you know that."

"I don't want to hurt you or take anything else f-from you."

"Kara, you give me so much more than anything you think you've ever taken. You can tell me anything."

"I don't want you to see me any differently," Kara says and her voice cracks and Maggie's hand gently squeezes Kara's.

"I would never," Alex says.

"Can you…" She takes a deep brath. "Can you please come over? I just really need you."

"Of course," Alex says and Kara can hear Alex pulling on her leather jacket. "I'm on my way right now. I'll be there in less than twenty."

/

"I did something bad," Kara says immediately when Alex walks it, afraid that if she doesn't lunge directly into this conversation she'll never actually get to it.

"Okay," the brunette says, shifting her gaze to Maggie for any clues as to what Kara's talking about, but she gets nothing except concern from the look spread across Maggie's features. "What did you do?"

"I tried to hurt myself," Kara says, adding more quietly, "on purpose."

"Oh, God." Alex says, one hand coming to grip a bundle of her short hair, as she closes her eyes, shoulders sagging. She's flooded with questions and concern rising in her chest. " _Kara."_

Kara's face falls and she's instantly hit with regret like a fist in her stomach, she never should have said anything. She should have kept to herself. Kept quiet, kept shut away. "I shouldn't have told you," Kara says after a beat of silence. She pushes off the couch again, Alex's eyes snap open. "I knew you'd react like this. I know you'd be angry with me and disappointed and—"

"What? Kara, no." She' reaches out to her sister mid-pace, places a hand on her arm. "I'm none of those things. I'm just worried, and sad that you felt so bad, especially without me noticing."

"You don't think I'm screwed up?"

Alex captures Kara in a hug, pulls her close and whispers in Kara's hair as she feels the blonde relax into her touch. "I do not. I think you're my sister, and I think you're the strongest person I've ever met. And I know that I will always be with you."

"Even when things are messy and hard?"

" _Especially_ when things are messy and hard," Alex promises and Kara wraps her arms around her sister, finally returning the hug. Over the blonde's tight shoulder, Alex catches Maggie's eyes, mouths her thanks that Maggie had been there.

"We're in this together, okay?" Alex says. "And I don't want you to ever forget that I'm your big sister, and I love you more than anything, and you are not alone even when it feels like it. You got that?"

Kara nods, buries her head into Alex's shoulder. "I love you," the blonde whispers.

"I love you, too," Alex whispers and presses a kiss to the top of Kara's head.

The Kryptonian breathes deeply, warmth spreading through her core as she's engulfed by her sister's presence, she stays like that for a moment before reaching a hand out in the direction of the detective. "Maggie?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for pulling me out of that earlier, I'm sor-"

"Hey, no more sorrys, Little Danvers," Maggie says as she takes Kara's hand, lets herself be pulled into the embrace and feels Alex kiss her cheek.

"Can I stay with you guys tonight? At your place?" Kara asks as they pull apart. "If you have plans or don't want me there it's okay, though, I'd understand."

"Kara, you are welcome _anytime,_ all you have to do is ask and you've got it," Alex says, tugging Kara into another quick half hug. "Actually, you don't even have to ask. You can literally just show up, you've done it before."

"Enter unannounced at your own risk though, Little Danvers, you might want a safe guard to make sure Alex and I aren't, you know, _busy_ … doing stuff." She winks at Kara, grinning up at Alex as the agent's cheeks flush deep red at the implication of Maggie's statement.

"Gross," Kara whines, with a little laugh bubbling forward from her lips and making Maggie and Alex's twin grins grow wider, the pair watching as Kara shuffles down the hall and disappears to super speed change out of her Supergirl suit.

She returns a few seconds later, to see Alex and Maggie engaged in a kiss.

"Come _on,_ I was literally gone for ten seconds. Get a room, _"_ she groans dramatically, feeling infinitely better than earlier, even though she's exhausted in a way she's almost never felt before.

"Can't hear you, Kara," Alex teases around Maggie's lips, shifts her hand from the detective's waist to her hips. And maybe they're all being over the top to compensate for what had happened earlier, maybe they're being ridiculous, but it makes Kara smile and it's worth it, even if it means Alex has to swallow a mountain of concern, keep it deep in her chest so that she can act on it later. But right now, her biggest concern is making Kara feel okay, and reminding her little sister that nothing has changed in the ways that matter—they are still sisters, they are still best friends, and they still always have each other's backs and that will be enough.

So, when Kara covers her eyes with a giggled "maybe I don't want to come over tonight," both women break apart, smiling at Kara as she peeks through her fingers before dropping her hand.

"Yes you do," Maggie says putting her arm around Kara's shoulder and turning her toward the door. "We've got movies _and_ snuggling."

Alex nods dutifully, she nudges Kara's elbow with her own. "And _real_ ice cream tonight."

Kara pretends to consider staying at her own place, but she's growing tired—eyelids drooping and mind softening—and nothing really sounds better than collapsing on the couch between Alex and Maggie and pretending like she'll watch movies with them when she knows she'll be passed out the second her head lolls against someone's shoulder.

Things are far from perfect, or even really truly being okay, but there's something to hold onto now; something warm and tangible off in the distance and filling the space surrounding her this very moment. She smiles at both of them, and it might not be as bright as it's been before, but it's the best it's been in weeks, now that she and Alex are back on normal ground, and she feels closer to Maggie than ever before. So Kara tilts her head to the door, favorite blue blanket cuddled in her arms.

"Let's go," she says and steps forward with Alex and Maggie right behind her.


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N:** Thank you for all your kind reviews. I received a few requests for a sequel to the last chapter, so I went ahead and wrote one. This picks up right where the last one left off.

The poll will most likely be updated next time.

* * *

Maggie offers to drive home, they'll pick up her car tomorrow. Right now, the first thing on her and Alex's mind is keeping Kara with them. So, Alex tosses Maggie the keys and rides in the back seat with Kara.

The agent climbs into the seat behind Maggie, and Kara situates herself behind the passenger seat. It only takes a look from Alex and a soft "come here" for Kara to scamper over and lean against her sister. Alex runs her fingers through blonde hair and eases out of conversation when she notices Kara's eyes slip closed. Maggie and Alex communicate with a few looks in the rearview mirror and the rest of the car ride home is silent, save Kara's breathing and the soft hum of the radio.

"We're here, Kar," Alex says, gently urging her sister up. The blonde stirs, straightening with incoherent murmurs before she lets her head fall back against Alex's shoulder. Maggie laughs softly as she turns off the car and opens Alex's door, observing the scene.

"Kara," Alex singsongs and rubs the blonde's back. "Come on, wake up."

"Don't wanna."

"Too bad." Alex nudges her sister fondly, but Kara only slinks back against her.

"Kara."

She mumbles in response.

"Little Danvers?" Maggie tries.

"Hmm"

"Wake up."

Kara rubs her eyes, blinking slowly. " 'kay."

She sits up and Alex makes a face. "Are you kidding me, right now?"

"What?" Kara asks as she follows Alex out of the car, stumbling slightly on tired limbs and rubbing her eyes with a loose fist.

"You wake up when Maggie asks, but not when I do." She playfully bumps Kara's shoulder as they make their way into the apartment building. "That's rude."

Kara shrugs and Maggie smirks on Alex's other side, the agent sends an exaggerated glare her way. "Get that smirk off your face, Sawyer. Kara's snuggling with me tonight."

"Uh, I don't know about that one," Maggie says and looks over at Kara as she walks, blue blanket overflowing from her arms and trailing behind her. "What do you say, Little Danvers?"

"Kara in the middle," the blonde declares. "Problem solved."

Their teasing conversation carries them through the hall, up the elevator, and into Alex's apartment. For a few minutes they can almost pretend like everything is normal, like there isn't concern hiding under each laugh and joke.

But then they're in the apartment and Kara's seated at the island and Maggie and Alex are moving around the kitchen.

"Kara, you want some ice cream?" Alex asks. "Real deal this time."

Kara shakes her head, feels an ache spread behind her forehead. "No thanks."

"You sure?" Maggie asks and Kara nods. Alex doesn't push, because she's known Kara since she was barley a teenager, knows that when Kara's really, _really_ upset the thought of eating makes her feel sick. It brings concern swelling back inside Alex, like a splash of ice cold water in the face.

"How about a movie?" Alex offers. "Rom coms are at your disposal."

"Really?" Kara perks up and it's more at the idea of being able to cuddle with Alex and Maggie, than anything else.

"Absolutely. Your choice."

Kara purses her lips, head tilting in thought.

"Alex?"

"Hmm?" the brunette hums, turning around and sliding a glass of water to Kara.

"Instead of a rom com, can we watch Harry Potter? The first one?"

Alex smiles. "Yeah, come on," she takes Kara's palm in one hand, the glass in the other and moves toward the couch.

"Maggie, get over here!" Alex yells as they settle beneath Kara's blanket. "We're about to start."

"Hold on," she calls back from the agent's bedroom.

Alex rubs Kara's back as she sets up the movie and the blonde sinks against her. "Let me know if you get hungry, or if you need anything at all, okay?"

Kara nods and already her eyes are dripping closed, her body fighting to stay awake.

"I love you," Alex whispers and her hand in Kara's hair strips away some of the pain hammering in Kara's head.

"I love you, too," Kara says and nestles into her sister's side as Maggie returns.

She holds a worn-out sweater in her hand, dark navy with white writing and the sight of it pulls a smile across Kara's face.

"You looked cold, Little Danvers, and I thought you might like to see this again," Maggie says, returning Kara's smile as she offers the blonde Alex's crew neck sweater from _high school,_ Midvale athletics written across the front. It had been Kara's go-to for a while when she needed comfort, until she'd seen Maggie wearing it a few months ago and let her keep it. There was some gentle arguing that'd stretched for three days while they'd tried to give it to each other and Kara had eventually pressed until Maggie took it, but with the image of Kara in so much pain pressed into the detective's head she's desperate to do anything that might ease Kara's anguish.

"Thank you," Kara says, voice muffled by the sweater as she tugs it over her head. She looks up again, hair tousled, and pats the space beside her. "Sit with me?"

"Absolutely."

By the end of the opening theme, Kara's eyes have already fallen closed. She snuggles into Alex's side, while Maggie rubs her knee and Alex plays with blonde hair, and Kara feels the grasps of consciousness loosen around her pounding head.

/

Alex's eyes flicker from the TV screen to Kara, and back again. TV, Kara, TV, Kara. The time spent watching her sister grows longer with each interval, until Alex gives up on the movie and gives in to her worry, let's her gaze latch onto Kara's sleeping form. She watches the rise and fall of Kara's abdomen beneath the arm Alex had protectively wrapped around her, feels eternally grateful for the breath that is still there—the lungs that still work, the heart that still beats.

The corners of Alex's lips pull down.

Alex watches Kara's exhausted body squirm and reposition itself until she's closer to Alex and her sock clad feet are tucked beneath Maggie's legs.

Alex's bottom lip quivers. She bites it in a futile attempt to stop what she knows is coming.

She watches as Kara's hand curls around her sister's shirt in sleep.

Alex's eyes water, her nose tingles, a lump forms in her throat.

Maggie turns down the volume on the TV.

Alex keeps her eyes on Kara.

Maggie pauses the movie.

Alex blinks, and the tears start to fall.

"Al-" Maggie begins, stops when a sob emerges from Alex, cracks her chest and leaks into the dark emptiness of the apartment illuminated only by the soft, blue light of the television. And the stupid TV light reflects the tear tracks on Alex's cheeks, the torrents that spill forth, make Maggie feel like a million miles away.

"What are we going to do?" Alex says and her words are watery and thick between her cries. "How can we…how do we help her?"

"Shh." Maggie pulls Alex into her arms as best she can, with Kara still asleep between them. Alex curls into Maggie's shoulder, drenches her shirt sleeve with tears. "I don't know," Maggie whispers and her hand comes up to cradle Alex's head, grasps a bundle of her hair. "We just have to be there, Al. We just have to make sure she knows she's not alone."

"How did this happen?" Alex asks, tries to focus on the feeling of Maggie's back beneath her hands as she wills herself to calm down. She needs to be strong for Kara, she cannot afford to fall apart. "How did I not know? I- god, I _hate_ myself." Her abdomen aches at the heaving of her diaphragm with each cry, tugging at the gashes and stitches she feels like she received a lifetime ago. "I hate myself," she repeats and Alex's hands curl into fists, pressing so hard her skin splits as her nails dig crest shapes.

"Hey, hey, hey." Maggie takes Alex's hands into her own, uncoils them and massages out the tension before pressing soft kisses onto her knuckles.

Alex whimpers.

Maggie cups her face. "Listen to me, this is not your fault."

Alex's frame shakes as she rubs her eyes. "I have to help her. We have to try everything we can." She pulls away and drops her gaze back down to Kara.

"We will," Maggie promises and moonlight has filtered in through the window, mingled with the TV's glow.

Alex presses a kiss to Kara's forehead and takes Maggie's hand.

Maggie squeezes lightly.

"You're not alone in this and neither is she."


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N:** The poll has finally been updated! Thank you for all your patience and enthusiasm.

Big thanks to the guest who sent in today's prompt: **The DEO was too late when Alex was controlled by myriad and Kara was hurt badly by Alex**

So, this takes place back in season one in the last two episodes.

* * *

Storm sends bullets of rain water smashing against the pavement and the droplets splash back up before settling into crevices on the street and when the kryptonite blade slashes her abdomen, slits her skin, deep crimson pours out and the asphalt is bathed in red.

Kara's knees crash into the pavement and she sinks forward; pale, shaking hand shooting out to clutch the gash, while the other arm jolts to break her fall. She's bent over and the effort to raise her head is a monumental feat as she anticipates the next hit from Alex.

Blood surges out of Kara's abdomen and into her hand and her other arm screams and snaps under the weight of her fall and somewhere in the distance a familiar voice calls her sister's name.

Kara blinks. Heavy. Dark. The arm beneath her gives out, the bone a mess of fractures, and the other clenches against her stomach as conversation flits away from her.

Thunder and her heart boom. The pavement slickens with blood and rain. A cycle of beats roars in her ears and her head drops forward, lungs heaving against the burning white pain swelling inside her.

Metal clatters against the ground. Another crackle sounds. Hands rub her back, softening against her pounding head. _Kara, Kara, Kara_ echoes around her and the strained cry of _I'm sorry, I'm so sorry_ circling through a loop.

She fights her body to open her eyes, glances half-lidded at the blurry forms in front of her. _Alex. Eliza._

"You're okay, sweetie," Eliza's voice murmurs through the rain. "We need to get you inside so we can fix this, okay?"

Kara's words are lost in her throat, in the fuzziness of her brain.

"I can carry her," another voice says and Kara squints, sees J'onn standing over her. She bites her lip as he lifts her up, draws blood when her body is jostled and she swallows a scream. She sees Alex lingering to the side, eyes distant and misty, everything about her posture is wrong.

Kara's voice is still gone so she lifts her broken arm and tears flood her eyes at the movement as she nudges Alex. "It's okay," she manages finally, as the rain cuts out and a ceiling takes form above her, Alex just shakes her head and tightens her fingers in their fidgeting.

Kara's laid on a table in an empty room and her blood spills forth, drenches the material as tears mingle and fall, cutting of her next words.

Cat Grant flings the door open and steps through the frame, her voice is slow and dangerous as she asks "What _the hell_ is going on?"

Alex ducks her head into shadow, shoves away the remnants of her tears. From the table, Kara tries to lift her head, but it only falls back with a thud and an involuntary cry, and Cat's eyes flit over, land on Supergirl and pooling blood. Cat blinks, then pushes her way in and lingers.

"There was an accident," J'onn explains and Cat nods absently, her gaze is already trained on Kara, the younger woman's eyes are scrunched closed in pain. The rest of the group stands silent and unmoving.

The air buzzes with tenseness and panic.

Cat's head snaps up. "Well, you _are_ going to help her, aren't you?"

Alex lifts her eyes to meet Cat's. "That's exactly what we were _trying_ to do, when you shoved your way in," the brunette retorts and steps in front of the other woman, putting herself between Cat and Kara. "Now we're going to continue. We'll rejoin you when Supergirl is okay."

Cat rolls her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Listen—" Alex begins, but is cut off by J'onn.

"Agent Danvers, we have more important things to focus on. Supergirl needs your help."

Alex shoots him a glare but turns away from Cat and refocuses her attention on Kara, falling silent and tearing off her jacket to press into Kara's wound. The blonde squirms, biting her lip as Alex applies more pressure. "I'm sorry," Alex says, tears leaking into her voice again. "I'm so sorry." Eliza joins Alex on the other side of the table and Cat takes a few steps back, watches from the side of the room.

"Ka-Supergirl," Eliza corrects herself and Cat rolls her eyes.

"I know it's her."

Three sets of eyes snap into her direction and Kara makes an attempt to look over from the table.

"Oh don't act so surprised," she waves her hand and from the Kryptonian's position, emerges a small cry when Alex's hand shifts.

Alex shoots her gaze back down to her sister. "We don't have time for this bullshit, we'll worry about it later," she says. "Right now we have more important things to focus on," she says, using J'onn's words. "I need a first aid kit, whatever we can get," she says and J'onn agrees to find them.

"Kara, sweetheart, I need look at the wound," Eliza says, turning back around.

Kara whimpers, pulls her hand tighter around her abdomen as Eliza wedges her fingers beneath Kara's, tries to ease them away.

"Shit," Alex says, the moment Kara's hand is away. A green glow pulsates from the surging blood, shards of the sword embedded in her flesh and muscle. "This is bad. This is _so_ bad."

Eliza peers in, brows furrowed as she studies the wound.

"What are we going to do?" Alex asks, looking up at her mom with wide eyes. "We can't—there's… there's too much, we'll never get—get it all out. There's too much. There-"

"Alex," Eliza begins. "You're going to do it. You're going to get tweezers that J'onn finds and pull the pieces out, once the kryptonite is gone, Kara's powers will aid in her healing. It will be slower than normal, but it should save her life."

"I—I can't. It'll hurt her. Why can't you do it? I can't—I can't do this right now, I'll screw up. I'll-" Alex breaks off, rubbing a hand across her forehead, hard enough that Eliza knows it hurts.

"Hold this," Eliza instructs Cat, tilting her head to the jacket pressed against Kara. "We'll be right back, Kara, just hold on a little longer, sweetie." With that, Eliza takes Alex's hand, guides her into the hallway and closes the door.

Alex's breaths leap in her throat, her diaphragm lurching and hiccupping.

"Alex," Eliza starts, voice sturdy and slow. "Alexandra, look at me. Just take a second to breathe. Deep breaths, there you go."

Alex tilts her head up, eyes watery and red, shoves her shaking hands in her pocket. "I did that… that was me… I h—hurt her, I can't do it again."

Eliza shakes her head. "That wasn't you, honey."

"I hurt her," Alex repeats and all her features pull down in guilt, sits heavy in her stomach and limbs.

"Hey, and now you get the chance to undo it," Eliza says, pulls Alex's hands into her own, provides a warm weight until they stop shaking. "Alex Danvers, you are the best doctor I have ever met, that's why you need to do this. Because I know you can. Because you are better at this than I ever have been. And I _know_ you've been patching up Kara longer than any of us."

Alex lets out a watery choke of a laugh.

She sniffles and Eliza releases her daughter's hands to wipe the brunette's eyes. "Your sister needs you. We need you, Alex. You can do this."

Alex nods, lets out a shaky breath. "Kara needs me," she says and J'onn appears around the hall. She takes the kit and he disappears again in search of more supplies.

Inside the room, Cat had held the jacket to Kara's wound with one hand, used the over to brush back blonde hair. "You're strong, Kara," she whispers, in a tone she's only ever used with Carter before. "You're strong enough to get through this, so you have to fight."

"You're not mad?" Kara asks, voice breathy and eyes still scrunched close.

"No, I'm not mad." She moves her hand to Kara's shoulder, gives it a gentle squeeze. "We'll talk later, you just focus on hanging on right now, hmm?"

"Okay," she whispers, opens her mouth to say something else when the door swings open, hits the wall and rebounds back toward the frame.

"Kara," Alex says, putting her tools on the table. "We're going to do this and it's going to hurt like hell, but then you're going to heal, okay?"

Kara nods, tears spill over from her eyes. "I believe in you, Alex," she says, voice strained against gurgling blood and heavy eyelids.

"I love you, Kara," Alex says, takes the jacket from Cat and grabs the tweezers.

"Love you too, 'lex," Kara murmurs, squeezes her eyes shut as Alex snaps on gloves and moves skin away from the wound.

"You hang on for me, all right?"

"All right," Kara murmurs softly.

"Hold her hand," Alex says.

"Me?" Eliza asks.

"No," Alex shakes her head. "I'm going to need you to hand me stuff."

She looks around. "Shit, J'onn's still not back. Cat, would you—"

"Yes," Cat says, extends her hand to Kara and lets the younger woman grasp it, squeeze in nervousness as Alex's tweezers make contact with the first sliver of bare and bloody flesh.

Then Alex plunges the metal into the first shard of kryptonite, the largest in the inner side of Kara's abdomen. The jagged edges yank on Kara's muscle and a scream slips from Kara's lips, reverberates through the room. She presses her head against the table, hand clenching around Cat's. Pain scorches across Kara's abdomen, flashes through her neurons as cells tear and the kryptonite leaks.

Alex finesses the fragment out, removes the tweezers and shifts the kryptonite into a box Eliza holds. Kara's shoulders unclench, her head lolling against the back of the table as her breath screeches and her heart pounds.

"Okay, Kar, we're going to go again. You're doing great, little sis," Alex says and Eliza strokes Kara's hair for a moment. Kara's bites the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out, eyes still squeezed shut.

Alex probes back inside, the metal grates against Kara's inside. Scrapes, pulls, and slits. Kara writhes and it's instantly worse than before—the smaller the piece, the more digging required, the more burning flashes of pain send her eyes threatening to roll backward, as the darkness behind her eyes go darker.

The tweezers finally grip the targeted piece and the yanking begins. White sparks shoot behind her eyes. Kara writhes and her whimpering is involuntary—a penetrating yelp that grows sharper and louder. The shard is halfway out of where it's embedded in Kara's inside when J'onn walks in and Alex has to yell over Kara's cries, for J'onn to hold down Kara's thrashing form.

Kara is still yelling for Alex to stop when the piece is dropped into the box and moved away. "It's out, Kara, the second one is out," Alex murmurs and she wants to reach for Kara's hair, run a soothing hand through it, but her fingers are drenched in blood. The blonde sinks back against the table, lungs heaving and tears spilling forward.

"Ready? Just a few more," Alex says, dries her gloved hand on a towel Eliza produces.

"I can't," Kara whispers, voice edged and soaked in pain.

"Yes you can, I know you can."

"No," she squeezes her eyes closed even tighter, grits her teeth. "I can't. I can't."

"Come on, please. It'll be over soon," Alex tries and her own voice becomes leaden with threatening tears as she pleads with her sister.

Kara shakes her head, she only manages to move mere centimeters but her message is clear as cries fall from behind closed eyelids. "It's too much, I can't. I—"

"Kara." Cat's sharp voice cuts through the air of soft words and whispers.

Kara blinks her eyes open.

"I know it hurts," Cat continues. "But you did not fight through all these worlds, all these years, for all these people, to give up now and be taken down by some bullshit unflattering shade of green space rock, you hear me?"

Kara nods.

"Good. Now you're going to squeeze my hand and we're going to take care of you…and you scream and kick and cry—you do whatever you need to get through this, and you will… get through this. You can do it, Kara. Give the okay and Agent Danvers will start and this will be over soon."

So Kara does. She nods and Alex starts, twists the tweezers through muscle and flesh, digs out shards of kryptonite.

Twenty one times.

Alex drops the last piece into the lead box. Kara's arched back collapses back onto the table, murmuring nonsense words and Alex immediately yanks off her gloves so she can take Kara's hand, rub her shoulder, press a kiss against her sweat drenched forehead. "It's over, Kar. You're going to start healing now," Alex whispers. "It's over, it's okay."

Kara breaks into a sob, equal parts pain and relief.

Alex cleans the wound with quivering hands, brow soaked in sweat as she stitches up her sister with delicate fingers even though Alex might be shaking more than her sister when the whole thing's complete.

Kara's slipped into sleep, cheek pressed against Alex's hand when the brunette declares her stable. Cat and J'onn filter out, with promises to be back later. Eliza lingers, rubs Alex's back and pressing a kiss into her hair.

"You did well, Alex."

Without releasing her grip from Kara, Alex lifts her other arm, pulls Eliza into a hug and lets her tears fall. "I didn't mean to h-hurt her. I didn't mean to."

"I know," Eliza murmurs against Alex's hair. "It's okay, sweetheart. You're okay and so is Kara."

Alex sniffles, tightens her grip on both Danvers until her tears ebb away and she takes a deep breath. "I think—I think I'm going to stay here with her a little longer. I don't want her to wake up alone."

"Okay," Eliza says, straightening and squeezing Alex's shoulder. "Call if you need anything."

Alex nods, and with that she's alone with her sister, lets her forehead rest against Kara's hair, holds the hand closest to her.

It's an hour later when Kara blinks back into consciousness, tilts her head toward Alex's blurry form. "What're you doing? You need to be out there fighting."

Alex lifts her head, a smile pulls at her lips. "Hey sleepyhead, we'll save the world tomorrow, right now, I've gotta make sure the best part of my world is doing okay."

A grin lights up Kara's pale cheeks. "I'm not even from this world."

"You're still the best part."

Kara makes a move to shift closer but a hiss falls from her lips instead, face contorting in pain.

"What's wrong?" Alex asks, sitting upright and squinting at Kara, following her sister's gaze.

"Nothing," Kara says, but Alex is already up, easing Kara's arm out of the sleeve of her supersuit.

"Kara," the agent says, voice in tears. " _Your arm,_ what happened? Why didn't you say anything earlier? Why didn't I catch this?"

"You were saving my life, Alex. It's just a broken bone."

"Just a broken bone? Kara's there are at least three breaks here." Her bottom lip quiver and she bites it. Hard, keeps it trapped between her teeth to keep a cry from escaping. "I did this to you," she murmurs, eyes distant and impervious to Kara's words of comfort, meant to alleviate guilt, the light conversation she initiates as Alex sets Kara's arm and braces it.

"Is that better?" she asks, voice cracking on the last word.

"Yeah, of course," Kara says, sitting up with a few grunts and sighs. "I'm already healing, Alex. A few hours and I'll be fine, good to go in the morning, especially with the sunlight."

Alex buries her head in Kara's hair, tears wetting the blonde locks. "I'm sorry," she sobs. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to… I didn't want to do it. I tried to stop but I couldn't, it was t—too strong. I could have killed you… I almost killed you."

"Hey," Kara murmurs, the fingers on her good hand reach up and run along Alex's hair, clench around it and hug Alex into her side. "It wasn't your fault. I know it wasn't your fault."

"I love you," Alex says, sniffling when her tears have slowed.

"I love you, too," Kara says. "Come lay up here with me."

Alex gives a small watery laugh. "You're on a table."

Kara looks over the side. "Oh."

Alex smiles and Kara grins at her. "Do it anyway."

Alex complies, climbing up and stretching alongside the blonde.

Kara snuggles into the touch. "When this is all over I want to have sisters' night every night for, like, at least a week."

"Sounds like a deal." Alex laughs.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." The brunette affirms and pulls Kara closer, holds her until Kara's powers spark back to life and the sun rises and it's time to save the world again.


	43. Chapter 43 - Finale (2x22) Follow Up

**A/N:** TWO UPDATES IN A FEW HOURS? WHOA. I don't know if I've ever super sped through a chapter (please forgive me for any mistakes, I'll edit tomorrow) before but I was SO excited about tonight's episode after watching it (despite any personal feelings I have about Mon-El, I really felt for Kara in the ending scenes). So, when I got on here and saw a prompt from krs-324 to write **a** **n extension of the Danvers Sisters scene in the season finale,** I came up with this...

Rather than an extension, it's more of an additional piece, but I hope you guys like it.

Thanks for the prompt!

Let me know what you think :)

* * *

She shows up at their doorstep at three in the morning. There's a blanket around her shoulders where a cape should be and the hem of the leg on her pajama pants catches under her heel and stays there as she rocks from the ball of her foot backward. Completes the motion again. Once, twice… three times until the door cracks open.

"I'm sorry," Kara cries immediately as she sees Maggie appear behind Alex, feels guilt sink in her stomach. "I didn't know what t-to do, or where to go so I-I…" She takes a heave of deep breath, a strained inhales that rattles against her ribs, escalates the quivering of her bottom lip. "I came here be-because I didn't _know, I'm sorry._ I'll—I'll go," she finishes, eyes darting around—looking anywhere but at the faces of the two women in front of her. She skirts backward with all the sharpness and intensity of a spooked animal, all wide eyed and shaking.

Alex reaches out and Kara jerks away from the touch, pulling her shoulders in and looping her arms around her stomach. She's hugging herself as if it's the only thing keeping her together; and by the trembling of her hands, she's on the verge of crumbling, like a ripple in the air could unravel the threads holding her up.

"Kar," Alex says softly. "Hey, hey, look at me." She leaves the words lingering in the empty hallway and Kara toes the carpet with her sock clad feet before looking up, beautiful blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "You're welcome here anytime, you know that."

Maggie nods behind Alex, catching Kara's gaze and offering a warm smile.

Alex opens the door farther and this time Kara doesn't startle at movement, this time she leans in… leans forward and Alex opens her arms. Kara lets herself be pulled in, lets Alex tug her close as Maggie closes the door and turns the lock and the sound resonates as a promise to Kara that she isn't alone, that they're going to keep her here, that they want her even as she falls apart.

Alex sways Kara in her arms, slow and steady as Kara hiccups and a stream of tears draws patterns down her cheeks. Kara tightens her grip around Alex's back, buries her head in the crook of her sister's neck. Alex is silent as she holds Kara, presses a kiss to her temple.

Kara murmurs a watery exhale that stutters against Alex's neck and another cry has her shoulders convulsing, her lungs crashing in her ribcage.

"I know," Alex whispers into blonde hair. "I know it hurts, Kara. I know."

Kara sniffles, releases a hand from her grip around Alex to rub her cheeks, sends tear droplets splashing against the floor. "I tri—I tried to go back to my place and sle—sleep but I could—couldn't, I can't stop thinking, Alex. I can't turn it off."

"Come sit with me," Alex says, loosening her embrace around Kara and dropping her hand to loop her fingers with the blonde's.

Kara follows and Alex tightens her hold around the hand that still shakes.

A wince takes over Kara's features as she sits, bruising from her fights screaming and muscles aching in protest.

"Sore?" Maggie asks, as she makes her way over. Kara turns toward her voice, hadn't even realized that the detective had disappeared from the area by the door and into the kitchen while Alex had comforted her sister.

Kara gives a delayed nod, dried tear tracks reflect light on her cheeks.

Maggie smiles sympathetically. "I thought you might be," she says and offers ice wrapped in a blue towel. "I don't know if it'll help, or if you'll even feel it, but I figured it's worth a shot."

Kara nods slowly again, features pulled slightly in confusion. "It'll… I'll feel it, with the green kryptonite earlier and all the fights and… and… everything, my powers are kind of touch and go… more sensitive to touch."

Maggie nods, holding Kara's gaze with a warmth and understanding Kara hadn't felt from her before.

"Thank you," Kara says sincerely, positioning the ice across her ribs as Alex threads fingers through blonde hair.

"Of course," Maggie says, moving away for a moment before returning with two mugs and thrusting one into the hands of each Danvers sister. "Hot coco," she explains.

Kara's face shifts into one of guilt and regret.

"What's wrong?" Maggie asks.

Kara keeps her head down. "I'm not really… I don't… I don't feel like hot chocolate right now."

"Not even hot chocolate with marshmallows?" Alex tries, knocking her shoulder against Kara's. "That's sacrilegious. Where's my Kara?"

The blonde's features fall, bottom lip trembling again.

"I'm going to go back to bed, give you two some space," Maggie whispers, kisses Alex's forehead and squeezes Kara's shoulder before disappearing into the bedroom.

"I'm scared, Alex," Kara whispers. "I'm scared that this is too much, that I'm n-not going to be the same."

Alex discards her mug on the coffee table, but despite her lack of appetite Kara holds it close, cradles the warmth against her chest, above the pack of ice.

Alex rubs her hand over Kara's shoulder. Up and down. Up and down.

"You're not, Kara." She tucks a bundle of hair behind Kara's ear. "You're not going to be the same."

Kara whimpers, finally brings the mug to her lips and lets it linger there to hold back a cry.

"And that's okay. That's normal. God, Kara, it's human. It's what happens."

"I don't want it to change me. I don't want to be broken anymore."

"It won't. Not in the ways that matter. You're still you, you're still the strongest person in the whole galaxy. You're going to hurt, probably for a really, really long time, but you're going to be okay. You're gonna be all right."

"But then, isn't that wrong in a way? When you—when you love someone and they leave, shouldn't that destroy you? Shouldn't that tear you to pieces? I can feel it when I _breathe_ , Alex. It's all jagged edges and hollowness, and maybe that's how it—how it's supposed to be. Maybe that's how you know it mattered." She pushes her half full mug onto the coffee table in favor of snuggling against Alex.

"I think it is, Kar. I think you're right both ways."

" _How?"_ she pleads, desperation leaden in her voice for Alex to have all the answers, for things to be as simple as they were before she was shipped across galaxies.

"I think it splits you into pieces at first, and you're right, you feel it… you know it mattered that way. But then, Kara, then you take those pieces, a little each day and you fit them back together and somehow, someday when you're not even expecting it, you'll have a whole person again, and that person, she's still going to be you. Just different, just stronger, just a bit older."

Kara's silent for a moment, lets her head fall against her sister's shoulder and rolls into the warmth. "Like a mosaic," she murmurs into Alex's shirt, breath warm.

Alex smiles against Kara's hair. "Exactly."

"My mom really liked mosaics," Kara whispers and Alex runs her hand over Kara's hair, rubs circles on her back. Suddenly, the blonde stiffens. "Alex, I give him my necklace."

"From your mom?"

Kara sits up and nods, tears pooling and spilling over—silent, watery cries that stain her cheeks. "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but now—now I wish… I wish I—"

"You wish you hadn't," Alex finishes and Kara nods.

"I'm sorry," Alex whispers.

"It's gone, it's the last thing I had from her."

Alex shakes her head, brushes tears off Kara's face. "No, she's right here," Alex says, points to Kara's heart and Kara's head. "She's inside you, in every breath you take, in the thoughts you think, in that brilliant brain of yours, and your bravery, and your big heart."

Kara falls back into Alex's hold. "I know it's not the same," the brunette whispers. "But we'll make a replica, we'll do everything we can to make it as realistic as possible."

"Thanks," she says. The blonde pulls off the ice and Alex tosses it onto the table for her.

Kara fidgets with the fabric of Alex's pajama t-shirt. "I can't lose anyone else, Alex. I'm tired of losing people and things and planets," she says. "I need to make it s-stop. I need to stop thinking for just a few minutes. Can you just talk to me for a little bit? Just tell me something good, something that'll distract me?"

"Want to know something about me and Maggie?"

Kara nods vigorously, head bobbing and hair bouncing.

"I asked her to marry me."

Kara's whole face lights up. "You asked her to—Oh my Rao—Alex!" She pulls away to look her sister in the eyes. "Alex!" she squeals again. "This is _so_ good. Did she say yes? She said yes, right?"

Alex nods and she can't stop the smile the blooms across her features, the rosy blush that tints her cheeks. "She did."

Kara takes a deep breath, her smile has turned to a sleepy one, but it still shines across her features. She leans back into Alex. "You two make me feel like everything's going to be okay. Like there are good things that still happen in the universe."

Alex smiles, hand stroking Kara's hair again. "Stay here for the rest of the night, okay?"

"But you just proposed, Alex, you should be with her."

"I will, I just—I don't want you alone again tonight."

"I'll crash on the couch," Kara concedes.

"Deal."

"Now go snuggle with Maggie," Kara tilts her head toward the bedroom.

"I'm staying until you fall asleep."

" _Alex."_

"I am. So lay down and let me hold you a little longer and let me tell you everything's going to be okay and maybe even try to believe it, even though it doesn't feel like it's true right now."

"I do—believe it, I mean," Kara says as she stretches out, burrows into her sister's warmth for a little longer.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Kara mutters, nodding as her eyes slip closed and her nose nuzzles against the couch cushion.

"Why's that?"

" 'cause it's coming from you. And of everyone I've ever met in all the galaxies, you're the best, 'lex. You've never let me down. You've always got me." She snuggles under the blanket Alex drapes over her, relishes in the gentle circles rubbed across her back. "And s' long as I have you as my sister, everything's okay."


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N:** Thank you for all your nice comments! I haven't had time to respond to recent review, but I'll do my best as soon as I get a moment.

Big thanks to NorthKait for today's prompt: **Kara is working a lead with Maggie when she becomes short of breath, appearing to have some sort of asthma attack (latent Kryptonite particles in her lungs). Maggie has to talk her into slowing her breathing and staying calm until Alex/help arrives.**

The prompt was supposed to be set after 2x12, but I pushed it up in the future a bit, in it's own time. Hopefully you all enjoy it. :)

I haven't had time to update the poll yet, so if you haven't voted, feel free to head over there.

Also, I'm going to be away for 4.5 weeks, without my laptop and with spotty wifi, so updates will stop for a while. But my inbox/twitter/comments section is always open if you want to talk or leave a prompt, etc. I'll be updating again as soon as I'm back. :)

Thanks again for everything you guys do!

* * *

"Too slow," Kara calls over her shoulder with a cocky grin as she flies past Maggie and lands in front of the warehouse, pressing her palm against the metal door.

Maggie sends a glare at the blonde as she walks over, drags out her pace slowly and makes eye contact with Kara the whole time.

"I'm _sorry_ ," Kara says, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I'm just excited… for tonight. Actually" Kara tugs out her phone and looks down. "For two hours… from now."

Maggie shakes her head and puts out a hand to still the younger woman's shoulder. "Easy, Little Danvers. It's not that big of a deal." She steers the woman toward the entrance, away from the streets. They're alone, running down a lead that Maggie swore was urgent, and requiring Supergirl for backup "just in case." The road is beginning to fill with squad cars, detectives and officers making their way over.

Kara genuinely looks offended at the implications of Maggie's words, eyes wide and jaw open, slapping a hand over her heart. " _Maggie,_ of course it's that big of a deal. You're getting _honored_ by the police department for being detective of the year _and_ because you solved the cold case _of the century._ It's double the big deal it'd normally be. _"_

Maggie fights the smile that inevitably works its way across her face, as she moves to open the locks with the key NCPD obtained.

"Hey, speaking of which, why are we here right now? Shouldn't you be getting ready."

"I'm the main investigator on this case and the scene might give us the break we need to catch the alien theft ring. It'll be quick—thirty minutes tops—and then we can leave." Maggie finally twists the third lock off the door and tugs them open. She looks over at Kara. "This is what it looked like yesterday when you flew by, right?"

Kara nods, peers in around the side of the door and feels her stomach flip. She'd caught word about the possible abandoned headquarters the other day and had flown through to check it out; but, this time, before blasting in, she'd called Maggie, agreed to wait until the next day to conduct a thorough check.

As soon as the doors are opened the place begins swarming with crime scene investigators, bagging evidence and dusting for fingerprints. Kara sways a little, feels her stomach clench and churn as she enters. "I'm—I'm going to fly around outside the perimeter, conduct a quick external check," she says and Maggie nods. "Then I'll hit up tunnels underneath the ground floor."

Maggie turns toward Kara, away from the scientists she'd been directing. "Tunnels? How did you-?"

"X-ray vision," Kara says grinning, tapping her temple.

A quip's about to leave Maggie's lips when Kara squeezes her eyes closed for a moment, rubs her forehead.

"Hey, you okay?"

Kara furrows her brows and takes a deep breath. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Let's get this started so we can get out of here."

Maggie nods and Kara shoots into the sky to erase the hesitance from the detective's features.

/

Maggie's talking to a CSI twenty minutes later when the sound of labored breathing carries through the air. She's just about to turn around when a hand bumps her shoulder, fingers curl around her arm and they're so warm that they have to be Kara's.

"Ka-Supergirl, what's the matter?" Maggie moves to face her, has to duck her head to catch Kara's face, pale and clammy.

She receives panicked breath in response and the fingers tighten around her skin. "Hey, hey, look at me," she says, panic beginning to grip her insides, and Kara doesn't move, so Maggie taps the younger woman's cheek gently. "Slow down, what's wrong?"

"I—" Kara heaves in a large breath, drops her gaze again. "I don't—I don't feel good, Maggie."

Maggie moves a hand to Kara's side, steadies her swaying. The detective excuses herself from the CSI and turns back to Kara. "Come here." She threads an arm under Kara's shoulder and the woman's ribs leap against her side, jerking upward and falling with each heaving breath. Maggie leads her into an empty room, shuts the door behind them.

"Kara, hey, what doesn't feel good? Is there kryptonite here?"

"I think—I think so. My chest is t-tight." She squeezes her eyes closed and a set of coughs take control of her lungs, spasms shaking her diaphragm. The pressures grows in her chest, sends her shoulders lurching and panic building like water filling her lungs, dragging her down.

"I can't—" She pulls in a breath that stutters and whistles on the way out. "I can't breathe. Maggie, I can't breathe," she gasps, doubling over. Her fists clench over knees. Lungs yanking inside her.

Maggie's gentle hand rubs the blonde's back. "Kara, what can I do to help you?"

"A-Alex. Can you c-call Alex?"

Maggie nods and makes the call and her hand never leaves Kara's back, doesn't stop its soothing circles even as Kara's spine lurches under her fingertips. "She's on her way," Maggie says. "Until then, let's just see what we can do, hmm?"

Kara nods, squeezing her eyes closed as tears burn out.

"I'm right here, okay? Do you think you can move and get away from this kryptonite?"

Kara's still for a moment and the only sound is her harsh breaths. "I can t-try."

"All right, good job. There you go," Maggie says as Kara takes her hand, leans heavily onto the detective as she guides them outside.

The sunlight slaps against Kara's face and Maggie turns them into a shaded alley when Kara curls her head into the detective's shoulder. Kara's legs quiver and a cry leaps forward, a frantic, trembling hand grasping at her chest.

"We're going to sit," Maggie says but Kara doesn't move, just wavers as her lungs scream for air and she tries to fill them. Sucks in and pushes oxygen out, until she's hyperventilating, hands shaking out at her sides.

"Okay, Kara, hey," Maggie says slowly. "Let's sit." She puts a hand on Kara's shoulder and gently pushes her down. "That's it, sit upright."

Maggie kneels in front of her and another cough steals the little air remaining in Kara's lungs and once the hacking starts this time it doesn't let go, grasping more tightly around her chest, pressure building, tighter, tighter.

The dark walls blur. Vision swimming.

She can't breathe.

Can't pull air in fast enough.

 _Kara._ Maggie's voice is distant and gargled.

Kara feels underwater. Like she's lapping for air but only liquid comes in.

Chokes down her throat. Drizzles into her lungs and splatters.

It's heavy.

It hurts.

 _Deep breaths, Kar. Deep breaths._ She's so far away.

Kara's lungs scorch.

A phone buzzes. Vibrates against the ground. _Danvers, get over here. Faster!_

Kara's fingernails are tinted azure. They shake. Maggie takes her hand, squeezes tight. "Kara, I'm with you and Alex is only a minute away."

Kara nods and wheezing breath burns raw through her throat, aches out of her chest and the weight that presses like quicksand and oceans and the gravity of an entire planet.

Her throat gets impossibly tighter. Clenches, closes. She's sobbing but she doesn't know it, can't feel the streams of water pouring down her cheeks and painting the street.

 _You're okay, you're okay._ Maggie says light-years away and somewhere behind her, footsteps slam against pavement, grind against gravel, tear toward Kara. Alex drops to her knees. "Kara, I've got you. I've got you now."

The familiar hands are on her face, in her hair. A band snaps around her cheeks, plastic is pulled over her nose and mouth.

Alex kneels over her. The hands move to stroke her blonde locks, slower this time. "Breathe, Kara. It'll be easier now. Just breathe. The kryptonite was aerosolized and particles got in your lungs, but this will fix it."

She sputters; struggles through one, two, three, four mangled breaths before her lungs fill, open and air floods in, enters the shrieking, weighted cells. Lift her higher, higher, higher; makes her lightheaded and floaty with the alleviation of it all. Her hand tightens around the fabric of Alex's shirt. Maggie slumps back against the wall with a sigh of relief, and Kara promptly collapses, from exhaustion and Kryptonite, into Alex's arms.

/

She blinks awake with dark spots clouding her vision and bright lights pulling her eyelids back into a squint. A murmured slur of sleepy garble emerges from her lips as she tries to push herself up on shaky arms.

"Kara?" Alex's voice cuts through the fuzziness. "Hey, easy there, let me help you." The brunette's hands rub against her sister's back, readjust the pillows upright and ease her down.

"What time 's it? Gotta go," Kara mutters, eyes falling back closed as she rubs them with loose fists.

Alex tilts her head and Maggie stands, walks over to her girlfriend. "What are you talking about, Kar?"

"The thing," she groans, rolls over onto her side and pushes off the blanket, kicking at it with her feet.

"Okay, slow down, hot shot," Alex says and pulls the covers back over her sister. "What thing?"

Kara huffs, eyes still closed. " _Maggie's_ thing. Tonight."

The mattress dips as Alex takes a seat on the edge, runs a hand over Kara's leg. "Oh, Kara, it's three in the morning. You've been passed out for hours."

She shifts upward a bit, blinks slowly this time until her eyes focus. She's more lucid when she asks, "So I didn't go?"

Alex shakes her head.

The mattress dips again as Maggie sits on the other side and pats Kara's knee. "If it makes you feel any better, none of us did."

She shifts her gaze from Alex to Maggie. "How would that-? What? _Why_?"

"You scared the shit out of us, Little Danvers." Maggie says. "There was no way in hell Alex and I were going to leave you here like that."

"But—"

"There will be more ceremonies and parties, they're rescheduling mine to be part of an event next week. You were more important. It's no big deal."

Kara shakes her head. It feels like a _really_ big deal. She lurches forward, throws her arms around Maggie and tugs her into a hug. The detective stiffens at first, then relaxes with a soft laugh as Kara buries her face into Maggie's neck.

The shoulder of her shirt is damp a moment later and Maggie's brows crinkle, she throws a glance at Alex. "Kara, are you crying?"

She sniffles and wipes her cheeks. " _No."_

Both older women laugh. " _Kara,"_ Alex grins. "What're you doing? Why are you crying?"

"I just love her so much, Alex. She's so nice," Kara whimpers again. "She's perfect for you."

The women laugh again and the sound reverberates through the quiet room. "Kara, you're a mess," Alex teases, ruffles her sister's hair when she finally pulls back from Maggie.

"Can we go home?" Kara asks.

"I mean, technically you're okay to leave, all the tests are clear now, but—"

"Let's go then! We can celebrate Maggie's night with ice cream and movie marathons. It's not too late."

"It's three in the morning."

"Not too late!" Kara says again and somehow manages to herd them out of the med room and back to her apartment, even though her legs are still a little shaky and her chest aches just a bit and she's _so_ tired she falls asleep on the couch between Alex and Maggie, with a spoon in her hand, pressed into a carton of ice cream that never actually reaches her mouth. Her head droops onto Alex's shoulder, sock clad feet tucked under Maggie's thigh.

Alex and Maggie settle on a movie and Alex clinks her spoon against her girlfriend's. She crinkles up her nose and smiles, the cheer that follows makes the detective simultaneously laugh and blush. "To Maggie Sawyer, detective _and_ girlfriend of the year."


	45. Chapter 45 - Kryptonite Bullet

**A/N:** Hello! I'm back :) The poll hasn't been updated because I'm behind right now and my word document with the list is a mess, please forgive me.

For today's chapter I combined two prompts, since they worked together well. So big thanks to a guest and NorthKait for these: **Kara saves Alex's life but is really hurt in return / Lillian figures the best way to ensure Supergirl gets hit by a Kryptonite bullet is to aim it at someone she's certain to step in front of to protect (Alex). Or, sniper with lead-encased Kryptonite bullets.**

Quick note on the context I've constructed for this chapter- Lena knows Kara's Supergirl (and that the DEO/Alex/Maggie know this, too). Also, Lena's friends with the superfriends... she's a newbie superfriend, because she's lovely and a good person and super smart and she deserves better... okay cool, thanks. :)

I hope you're all doing well and I hope you like this update. Let me know your thoughts!

* * *

Supergirl falls.

Supergirl is not supposed to fall. Not from alien hits or brick walls, and certainly not from bullets.

But she does.

Her body tilts, bends as she stumbles, feet suddenly heavy and numbing. Her eyes squint, a hand raising to touch her head. The other drops to her abdomen, fills with thick blood. She coughs, shakes, the strain is too great for her weakening muscles and bones and joints; and then, she falls.

She falls and they realize the bullet aimed at Alex was meant for Kara the whole time.

" _Kara!"_ Alex screams, scrambling off the ground. She pushes up on her hands against the slick pavement as thunder storms overhead.

Kara's just feet away but it feels like an infinity as lighting strikes in the distance and the DEO fights off the remaining CADMUS agents—distractions from their real mission, the DEO is realizing; as the screams of citizens echo in Alex's ear, a harrowing, distraught sound; as Kara whimpers and curls on her side, and panic thumps inside Alex, pushes her legs forward until she's dropping beside her sister.

"Kara, hey hey hey Kara, look at me," Alex says, kneeling across the blonde and patting her cheek, trying to get those blue eyes to open again.

A watery gargle bubbles from Kara's mouth and she leans over, spitting up blood. " _Help!"_ Alex screams, moving to face the pack of DEO vans. "Supergirl's down, we need a medevac stat!"

She turns back to Kara where the red has mingled with the crimson puddle clotting on the street. " _Damn it,"_ she murmurs as she yanks off her jacket and pushes it against Kara's stomach.

The blonde writhes under the pressure, eyes closed, muttering incoherent words as tears streak her cheeks. "You shouldn't have done that," Alex says, cries choke through her words. "You shouldn't have stepped in front of that bullet, Kara."

Water sprays Alex's back and she turns around, sees boots splashing through puddles as they rush over. The medics flood her vision, drown out Kara's mumbled slur of a response, push Alex away and tug Kara from her grasp.

Three hours ago and they were at Alex and Maggie's apartment, cleaning up and flipping through TV channels, trying to find ways to waste time before Maggie's last few hours of the work week would finish.

Three hours ago and Alex's hands were full of blankets, not blood; and Kara's abdomen did not have a hole in it.

Three hours ago they got a call to come in to the DEO. A quick fight, easy, no longer than half an hour—she can still hear the voice resounding in her head. Supergirl wasn't even supposed to be there, she was supposed to be home, she was supposed to let Alex handle it, but she tagged along anyway and Alex had let her and now they're here and Kara is bleeding out and Alex somehow finds that she's entered a vehicle and they've arrived at the DEO and she can't breathe.

"Agent Danvers, let's go!" Someone yells, their voice is muffled and cloudy in her head but it forces her to blink and then it forces her to pull air back into her lungs. She's out of the van in a second, following behind her sister's stretcher three strides later, counting the steps until she's focused on Kara.

Kara is the only thing that matters right now.

/

"Hey, babe," Maggie calls, closing the door behind her and dropping her bag on the counter. "Alex?" she says as she steps further into the apartment, glances around the empty room and takes in the lack of response despite the TV playing in the background.

"Kara?" she tries, peering into the other rooms before returning back to the living area. She tugs out her phone and double checks Alex's texts from earlier. At 4:38 PM Alex had said that she and Kara were at the apartment and would be hanging out there until Maggie got home from work, asking what she wanted for dinner.

Maggie calls Alex and is met with voicemail. A sinking feeling of dread knots in her stomach, beginning to curl over the confusion she'd first experienced.

"…Supergirl has not been spotted since just a few hours earlier when…" Maggie spins around at the sound of the newscaster's words. She turns just in time to catch footage of the fight when it cuts to a grainy cellphone video zooming in on Supergirl.

Maggie's phone slips from her hand when a shadowed figure points a gun at a DEO agent, at _Alex_ Maggie realizes, and the detective's frozen in place, fingers curling tightly into her palm and ears falling deaf to the commentary as the scene plays out. The trigger is pulled and Maggie's certain she's about to witness the murder of her _fiancée_ when a blur of blue and red tears across the screen, takes the bullet instead.

Maggie breaks into a smile, drops her head into her hands with a breathy laugh of relief that Kara was there. That she's bulletproof and fast enough to break the sound barrier. She picks up her phone to text Alex, tell her to hurry home from the mess of paperwork she's sure accumulated at the DEO.

"…What happens next is interesting. Instead of reflecting the bullet, we see Supergirl fall, bleeding…"

Maggie's head snaps back up, relief plummeting into guilt and worry. Kara slips, sinks into blood and Alex rushes toward her, kneels over Supergirl and the camera shakes and shuts off once Kara's out of view.

A vibration drags Maggie's attention away from the TV now airing commercials as if she didn't just see two of the most important people in her life skirt around death, as if she didn't just see a woman who's become a little sister to her _take a bullet_ when she's supposed to be invincible. As if the apartment's not empty and Maggie's head is still reeling around the image of Kara bleeding out onto the street.

The vibrations are incessant, shaking in her palm and Maggie finally looks down. James' name flashes across the screen of her phone.

"Maggie, there's been—"

"What the hell is going on, James? Just cut to it, because a minute ago I walked into an empty apartment and saw my fiancée almost die on the news before I see Kara in a puddle of her own blood. So honestly James, what the hell happened?"

"We don't know for sure, Maggie. It all-"

Maggie huffs and drags a hand through her hair. "Alex. Is she okay?"

"Physically, yes."

"And Kara?"

"I think you should come in."

Maggie's already in the elevator, nearing the ground floor when he says it.

/

She speeds on her way over and blows through a stop sign in the parking lot, slams her car door as she gets out. Deep in the muscles of her legs something twitches, drives her into a jog through the parking garage and into the elevator.

She taps her thighs, groaning as the lift meanders up the floors—stops to let people on, let them off. She throws her head back against the wall when it's finally empty again.

She's pissed at Alex for not calling. For not telling her she was going, for not saying she was okay, for not letting Maggie know that Kara was in bad shape because _damn it,_ Maggie cares about Kara, too.

The doors crack open and Maggie shoves through them, jamming her hands in her pockets as she walks the too familiar route to the med floor.

The speech she practices in her head screeches to a halt when she sees Alex bent over a tablet, knees pulled forward to her chest in the chair. She looks so small, like the space is swallowing her up.

"Al?" Maggie whispers softly. "I heard what happened."

Alex uncurls herself, turns to Maggie with a smile offsetting the tear tracks so evident beneath her red rimmed eyes.

"It doesn't make sense," Alex says, brows raised and lips still quirked upward.

"Yeah, you could say that," Maggie deadpans, frustration leaking back in.

"I mean, surgery was quick. It was easy. The bullet looked a bit strange, it was embedded with kryptonite—that's how it penetrated her skin. The scans aren't functioning, something about the metal and Kara's powers is screwing with the machines, but she's been under the sunlamps and she's talking, says she feels fine—good even. They all say she's okay," Alex tilts her head toward the operating room Kara had previously occupied.

Maggie rubs her forehead where a headache begins to form. "So, Kara's fine?"

Alex nods.

"And you're okay?"

Alex nods again, looking up at Maggie with those bright brown eyes.

"Oh thank god," Maggie murmurs, pulls Alex into a hug, holds her close. "I was so worried, when I got home, I saw…" she swallows and blinks. "I saw it on the news I thought you were going to die, but then Kara saved you and I felt so much relief until the video continued and then Kara…" Maggie sniffles, buries her head into Alex's shoulder. "Kara was _bleeding_ and that was so much scarier than I ever thought it would be."

"I know," Alex soothes, runs a hand over Maggie's hair. "I know, but she's okay. We're all okay."

Maggie nods, wipes her cheeks.

"Kar still wants to have movie night if you're up for it? It'll be good that way, so I can keep an eye on her tonight and make sure everything's okay. She convinced J'onn to let her out now if she takes a sunlamp to the apartment with her."

Maggie laughs. "Sounds good."

"Perfect," Alex grins. "Let's go grab Kara."

/

After another hour under the newly portable sunlamp while the trio eats, Kara's eyes droop a little as she pushes her plate away. She eats half as much as usual, which is still more than double what Alex can, before resting her cheek in her palm.

"Done?" Alex asks and Kara nods. "How about you go hop in the shower real quick? Maggie and I will clean up and get the TV ready."

"Okay," Kara says through a yawn, shivering slightly as she stands.

They get the leftover pizza put away and the table wiped down, TV set up and blankets pulled out, are spending time snuggled on the couch waiting, when Maggie's phone rings.

She looks down. "It's work. I'll be right back, I have to take this," she says apologetically before standing.

"Yeah, of course. I'm gonna go change into something more comfortable," Alex says, getting up with Maggie and kissing her cheek before the detective disappears outside the door for a moment.

When Maggie comes back a few minutes later, Alex is emerging from the bedroom, clad in sweatpants and a t-shirt, glasses on. Maggie smiles, but her expression falls when she sees Alex look underneath a blanket before dropping it, huffing.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you know where Kara's phone is?" Alex asks. "It rang _six_ times while you were outside."

Maggie shakes her head, joins in the search just as the ringtone goes off again and Alex fishes the phone from between two couch cushions.

Alex face contorts into confusion. " _Lena Luthor?"_

Maggie's brows jump up. "Nuh-uh."

Alex laughs and shrugs. "I'll see what's so pressing. Would you mind checking on Kara, the water went off a few minutes ago but I haven't heard anything since then."

Maggie nods. "Sure thing, but you gotta tell me what Luthor wants."

"Deal," Alex says as she picks up the phone and Maggie steps away.

"Kara?" Lena's voice floods through the line, Alex has never heard it this way—free and unrestrained as it lilts with relief. "Kara, thank god you're okay."

"This is Alex, actually."

Lena stomach turns, sickening with worry. "Listen, you need to trust me right now. I was on an international flight and just saw the news now that I've landed. Kara's in danger. The bullet my mother used isn't normal and it could kill Kara."

"She's fine, it's been surgically removed already and she spent time under the sunlamps. She—"

"No!" Lena's voice is sharp, the yelp of frightened animal. "The sunlamps make it worse, the UV rays service as a catalyst for the chemical reaction creating the toxin. The bullet spread an infection, think…umm, like sepsis, maybe? I—it's not exact—it was Lex's design, I haven't heard of it in years but you need to get Kara back to the DEO. I'll meet you there with the information I can gather. If Kara's still feeling well, we're not too late; but once she experiences symptoms, it gets risky and her state will rapidly deteriorate if the bullet's anything similar to what Lex's notes relayed. You need to—"

"Alex!" Maggie's voice yells from the bathroom and Alex freezes, wrenched between Lena's news and the worry loudening Maggie's words—feels like she's strung between and watching from the outside. It's the sudden sharpness in Maggie that pulls her to the reality of their apartment, paired with Lena's information that spikes adrenaline in her veins. Maggie calls out again. _"_ You need to get in here, something's wrong."

Alex feels tears prick in her eyes with dread and exhaustion. She turns toward the bathroom and keeps Lena on the line. "DEO. Thirty minutes."

Lena's words are a watery mess. "We have to be faster than that. We— she doesn't have much time, Alex. Not if she's already hurting."

Alex's heart thunders.

Maggie screams again. _"Alex, hurry!"_

* * *

 **A/N:** Surprise! This one's a two-parter ;)


	46. Chapter 46 - Kryptonite Bullet (Part 2)

**A/N:** Thank you for all your enthusiasm on the last chapter! I tried to respond to reviews, but I've been so busy that I haven't gotten to all of them so I just wanted to say thank you to everyone. :) I really appreciate it.

So, the poll _still_ hasn't been updated but I will get to it eventually.

All right, so, here's the next chapter- I hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Fifteen minutes." Alex says, hangs up.

She flings open the door and steps in.

"Shit, what happened?" she asks, eyes flicking toward Maggie but the detective only throws a painful look over her shoulder, a desperate shrug.

"She wasn't answering so I came in and she was stumbling. I thought she was going to fall, so I had her sit," Maggie says. "She's shaking so badly, Al."

Kara moans, back pressed up against the tub. She's in only her bra and underwear, a shirt fallen from her fingers sits at her hip and drapes across her stomach, her pajama shorts are still folded on the counter. Her head is in her hands, heels of her palms digging against her eyes and sweat drenches her already soaked hairline.

She raises her head to look at Alex, skull tilting backward and she shifts with a wince so she's leaning against the wall, labored breathing filling the room with the strained sound.

"Kara," Alex says, dropping beside Maggie where they kneel in front of the blonde, where she tries to looks at them through hazy blue—eyes that blink and flit unfocused. "Hey, Kara, what's wrong?" Alex asks, keeps her hands gentle even though her heart pounds and she brushes Kara's hair back.

"Jesus Christ, Kar, you're burning up."

The blonde flinches, squeezing her eyes closed, pulling a leg up toward her stomach and groaning, dipping an arm over her abdomen.

Alex sends a worried glance over at Maggie, is met with the same confusion she feels, reflecting in her fiancée's eyes.

The agent inches closer, reaches out to move the shirt and examine Kara's stomach, where her pain seems to be spiraling from. Her fingers brush Kara's skin and the sound that bursts from her lips is something of a howl and shriek, striking in the silence between her heavy breaths. Her head slams back against the wall, sends the structure shaking as her scream falls to a watery whimper and she doubles over, curling into herself.

Alex pulls back in reflex, nearly knocking Maggie over in her haste. "I'm sorry. Shit, Kara, I'm so sorry."

Maggie sees tears in Alex's eyes, rubs her back as they look at Kara.

"Hurts," she murmurs, eyes closed, blonde hair shoved up behind her against the wall as she fights a losing battle to catch her breath.

Alex wipes her eyes. "Where, Kar? Can you tell me where it hurts?"

Kara shakes her head, colors burst behind her closed eyes, spiraling hues that bolt around her head. "Where it was," Kara murmurs, face contorting in pain.

"Where what was?" Alex asks and Kara turns her head away where it dips against the wall. "Hey, Kara, I need you to focus on me. We're going to get you some help."

"Bullet," Kara answers through a wheezing breath.

"We need to get the DEO," Alex says, leaning toward Maggie. "Lena has an idea about what's going on."

"L-Lena?" Kara murmurs and her eyes are half lidded, head falling to the side.

"Yeah, sweetheart. Lena," Alex answers.

" 's nice," Her eyelids close further.

"This might hurt, Kara, but we've got to get you up, okay?"

Alex's voice is soft and soothing but it reaches Kara like sound underwater as heat flushes her face, droplets of sweat budding at her hairline.

Alex is saying something again but Kara can't hear over the ringing in her ears, the nausea churning in her stomach.

"I don't feel good, Alex, I don't feel good," she murmurs, words rapid and slurring together through burning lips.

The ache radiate outwards, has its muscles in its grasps when her stomach cramps, seizing her control away. Everything lurches, emptying itself. Blood and bile bubbles forward and outward, makes a mess of her bare skin as her surroundings come back into focus with a dizzying suddenness.

"Sorry, I'm sorry, I—I—" Another wave of it washes over her, doubles her in half with the power of the heaves that take her body from her as she vomits.

"Shh, it's okay, sweet girl, don't worry." Alex doesn't even flinch as she places a hand on Kara's shoulder, leaves it there for a second to check Kara's reaction to touch before she eases the blonde out of her curled position, lays her head back against the rim of the tub and slides a towel beneath it.

She soaks another towel in warm water and wipes Kara down, the blonde shivers violently, teeth chattering. She shifts in and out of consciousness as Alex works quickly.

"Sorry. S-s-sor-sorry. I'm—"

"Kara, you're sick, don't apologize. Just let us take care of you."

The best Kara can muster is a soft cry in response and Alex leans forward, brushes Kara's cheek as she dries her off. "Just hang on a little longer, sis."

"There we go," Alex says, when she's finished pulling a t shirt over her little sister's head. Kara slumps back against the wall when Alex releases her, just as Maggie steps in.

"J'onn's on his way. Lena called again, she's already at the DEO and spoke to him."

Alex nods, glances at Kara then back to Maggie. "We need to go now. As soon as J'onn has Kara we'll drive."

"Alex, Al-Alex," Kara's tongue stumbles over her sister's name, heavy in her mouth as she flicks her eyes toward Alex and keeps them there. She heaves in another breath. "Alex, it's get—getting hard to control the-them."

She's pressing her hand against her face again while the other refuses to leave her abdomen.

"Your powers?" Alex asks.

Kara nods, quivering against the wall. She reaches out to grip the counter and turns it to dust. Another sharp cry presses forward from the back of her throat. "I don't w—want to hur—hurt you," Kara murmurs and she's sobbing now—hot tears burning down her cheeks, fighting with the spasms of her lungs. "G—go, you h—have to go, before I _can't._ I can't, Alex, I can't."

"I'm not going anywhere, Kara," Alex says, taking a step closer. Her voice is smooth and low and Kara latches on to it.

"We're staying, Little Danvers." Maggie presses forward at Alex's side.

Kara cries and doubles over, she wants to touch them, wants to hug them but she can't because her body is a prison and a traitor and she cannot trust the cells inside her.

The window breaks open from the frame and J'onn calls out to Alex and Maggie. Kara's entire body vibrates with the strength of her trembling, the edge of her hands are a blur in the harsh bathroom light.

The shower curtain bursts into flames and singes and Supergirl falls for the second time that day.

* * *

 **A/N:** Plot twist! This prompt has turned into a four parter ;) but you might be happy to know that the other two chapters have already been written and just need some editing, so they'll probably be posted in a day or two.


	47. Chapter 47 - Kryptonite Bullet (Part 3)

**A/N:** Thank you for all the kind reviews!

fyi, creative liberties have been taken with some of the science/medicine in this chapter.

* * *

"Kara's stabilized for the time being, but it's alarmingly temporarily and they had to use kryptonite to insert an IV and control her powers. We're going to need a solution fast. Here's everything I was able to find out."

Lena's opening Alex's door and thrusting papers into her hands before the woman's even stepped away from the wheel. "My initial observations weren't exactly correct, but here's what I know now: the bullet releases a synthesized bacteria—Lex couldn't figure out how to transfer the genome correctly and that's why it always failed, but one of Lillian's scientists discovered a frameshift mutation rendering the cell useless, and _apparently_ the bastard corrected it, too."

Alex shifts out of the car and Maggie follows, falling in step with Lena as they get into the DEO, begin picking up their pace as they get closer to the med wing.

"So, I went through the reports and there's something—"

"Lena, wait." Alex pauses, reaches out from the woman's shoulder. She tilts her head down the hall. "Kara's this way."

"Oh, I wasn't—I don't think she wants to see me right now and there's still data to go through, I—"

" _This way_ , Luthor," Alex bumps her this time, leaving no room for disagreement. "We're checking on Kara and then we're fixing this."

Lena lets Alex turn her by the shoulders and follows, Maggie smirks.

/

"Hey, Kar," Alex says softly, stroking blonde hair gently and easing herself onto the mattress beside Kara, taking advantage of the five minutes of privacy the doctors allowed Alex.

"Alex," Kara mumbles, eyelids parting just barely.

"Yeah, hi. How're you feeling?"

Her response is muffled by the hospital bed pillow as Kara turns, buries her face in the fabric with a cry, hand snaking around her abdomen again.

"Okay, so not good," Alex says and rubs Kara's back.

"A little better though," Kara mumbles as she shifts positions, turning into Alex's stomach and wrapping her arms around her sister's middle, pressing her head into Alex's side. Alex immediately receives her, pulling Kara closer. "You're still burning up," Alex says, tucking a strand of damp hair behind Kara's ear.

"Stomach hurts," Kara says, nestles closer to Alex. "And 'm so tired."

Alex hums sympathetically, runs a hand over Kara's side, lightly massages the parts of Kara's abdomen she can reach. "Maggie, can you grab me a wet washcloth?"

The detective nods, slipping around Lena where she stands, fidgeting as she watches the scene and guilt pangs in her chest.

"Maggie's 'ere?" Kara asks as Alex takes the towel, gently wipes Kara's forehead.

"Yep."

"Right here, Little Danvers," Maggie says, rubbing Kara's back. "You look a bit better."

"Yeah," Alex agrees, looks up at Lena. "Do you know how long the IV's been in?"

"Since she arrived, so approximately twenty minutes. They had to—"

"Wait, 's that Lena?" Kara slurs, trying to sit up and pull her eyes open against fatigue. She groans at the sudden movement and sinks back down.

"Yes," Maggie answers, helping Kara straighten. "And she's scared you're mad at her, because her mom shot you," she adds with a pretend whisper, sending her gaze at Lena.

Maggie's attempts to help Kara fail as the blonde sags against the detective's side, eyes dipping open and closed as she fights the fatigue tugging at her body like a weight. "Lena, your mom's an asshole, you're not," Kara murmurs. "She's evil," the blonde says, eyes shutting and words slowing. "But you're… you're perfect, Lena, and… and s-smart and good and… and…"

"Okay, what's she on?" Alex asks, putting an end to Kara's sleepy mumble as she passes out, half on top of Maggie. "She's looking a little better, but she sounds like she's a mess and she still feels sick."

"The IV just has fluids in it," Lena answers, "I was here when the doctors hooked her up."

"Maybe it's flushing out whatever the bullet brought in?" Maggie suggests.

Lena shakes her head. "That seems too easy, but they did have to use kryptonite as I mentioned early, a large amount at first, to put in the IV and to get control of her powers. Which means a decent portion is still running through her system, which could explain why she still doesn't feel well."

Alex nods, running her fingers through Kara's hair. "Maybe. We need to run more tests, check it out." She looks down at her sister. "I hate to leave Kara alone though. Maybe we can go over some of the files in here?"

Maggie shakes her head. "You two need a real lab so you can work as efficiently as possible. I'll stay with her. You guys go."

"Are you sure?"

Maggie nods, nudging Alex upward. "I don't trust this moment of calm. Go."

"Call me, for anything."

"I will. Now, go, I'm serious."

Alex squeezes her hand and presses a kiss to Kara's head. "Thank you," she tells Maggie then turns toward the door. "Come on, Luthor, Winn's going to meet us there."

/

"Hopeless. This is absolutely hopeless," Winn says four hours later, dropping his head into his hands in front of his computer screen. "All these files are encrypted."

Lena turns around. "What do you mean? We got through every set before."

"We're not getting through this time. It'll take days—weeks, even—to get into these documents. They're different."

"They're the most important ones, we need them!" Alex says. "If there's an antibiotic, it'll be there. Winn, I swear to god, we _need_ those files, because none of these tests are coming back conclusive."

"What's wrong with the tests?" Lena asks.

"I can't ID this bacteria as even close to anything I've literally ever seen on this planet, I have no idea where parts of these genomes came from because what I'm seeing can't be right, some of these samples must have been contaminated, some look like they've been crossed with Kara's samples. It's a mess and I keep seeing Kryptonian cells and I'm trying again on this last petri dish but it's still got a minute or two and—" Alex's phone rings. "Shit, that's Maggie. Winn, can you pass me it."

"Hey," she answers.

"Alex, you need to get down here."

"What's wrong?" Alex asks, already out of the lab and racing down the hall, pulling away from the phone briefly to tell Lena and Winn where she's going.

"Kara's unconscious and they can't get her to wake up, she-"

Alex steps into the room and Maggie drops the call.

A flurry of doctors rush around the room. Machines howl and beep. "How did it happen?"

"I don't know, she seemed fine. I've been here the whole time."

"Kara," Alex turns toward her sister, leg shaking nervously as she stands near the bed. "Kara, come on."

The blonde's eyes part, she bolts up and screams. Her gaze is glossy and her whole body trembles.

"Fever's increasing!"

"Heart rate up!"

Alex bites her lip, bounces her leg harder.

The room spins and Kara's voice rings in her ears.

"Showing signs of hypercytokinemia!"

"We need to stop the hyperventilation!"

Kara collapses back down, curls into herself, choking on breath.

A stream of Kryptonese words breaks from her lips, in between sobs.

Alex pushes through doctors, grabs Kara's hand. "It's okay, Kara, it's okay. Just breathe. Just use your damn lungs, come on, Kara."

Frantic blue eyes fall on her own.

Keeping her fingers entwined and her gaze trained on her sister, Alex calls out. "Maggie, I thought you said she'd been doing fine earlier, getting better. What changed? Did they do anything different?"

The detective's eyes are wet. "She was, Alex, I swear. She's was doing so well, her system completely cleared the kryptonite twenty minutes ago and she was okay, she was sleeping and—"

Alex freezes. "Say that again."

She faces Maggie. Keeps her hand on Kara's always, always, always.

"She was sleeping?"

"No, no, no, Maggie, the kryptonite has been inside her this whole time?"

Maggie nods, looks to the lead doctors for confirmation. They nod, pausing.

Alex looks at Dr. Hamilton. "And she was looking better?"

"It's true."

The door is thrown open, clashes against the wall.

Lena and Winn come in, red faced and panting. Lena holds up a picture on her phone, taken through a microscope.

"The bacteria is photoautotrophic, in a weird, mutated way but for all current and necessary purposes we can consider it photoautotrophic," Lena says through a gasping breath. "I was wrong, the sunlamps weren't a catalyst for a reaction; they're how the bacteria were surviving."

"Holy shit," Alex looks between the pair and Kara, brushes back her sister's soaked hair, hand calm and cool against the thrashing body. "I know how to fix this."


	48. Chapter 48 - Kryptonite Bullet (Part 4)

**A/N:** Here's the last chapter! As always, thanks for sticking with me. :)

* * *

"I need to take her," Alex says to the doctors. "There's no time, I know my sister's physiology. This is our only chance."

Dr. Hamilton steps back, motions for the others to do the same. "What can we do? You make the calls, Agent Danvers."

Alex nods gratefully. "Help me get Kara on a stretcher, we need to get her to the basement."

She's moved, sweating through the sheets and mumbling in Kryptonese—words that Alex knows don't go together, words that are sharp and pained between strangled breaths.

"The Kryptonian DNA in the sample wasn't a mistake," Alex says as they roll Kara's stretcher down the hall. "The cell is mutated to mimic Kryptonian bacteria, that's why it didn't match any of samples I had… that's why the kryptonite made Kara better at first; it was killing the bacteria."

"So we give her more kryptonite?" Lena asks, calling from behind the stretcher. "Why do we have to move her?"

Alex shakes her head as they squeeze into the elevator. "She can't handle anymore, her body is too weak. But the bacteria… autotrophic and mimicking Kryptonian cells? It needs sunlight to survive, the bacteria's been taking it from Kara's cells, making her weak and simultaneously triggering an immune response with the infection."

"So no sunlight, no bacteria? It'll die?" Maggie asks, yelling over the clang of the stretcher against metal as they shift it out of the elevator and into an underground corridor.

"In theory, yes. And their life cycle is short, so hopefully depriving them of sunlight for a few hours will be good enough and then all Kara's body has to do is fight off what's left of the infection and its symptoms," Alex says, pausing outside the door to an empty storage room. "Listen, what she's about to do might be dangerous. I want you guys to wait outside, so you don't get hurt by accident."

Dr. Hamilton nods, pulls her team aside and tells Alex to call out if they're needed, but Lena and Maggie push on, follow into the room.

"I'm staying," Lena says.

"Me too," Maggie adds before Alex can protest.

She's about to say something anyway when Kara lets out a sharp cry, tightening the arm around her stomach as her lungs wheeze. "Come on," Alex says, tilting her head further into the room and closing the door behind them.

"But leave the lights off, I don't want to risk even the smallest amount of UV rays for these first few hours, we'll just use a flashlight. Stay to the side," she says before turning back to Kara. "Hey, Kara, I know you can hear me, okay? I need you to listen, can you do that?"

Kara twists, murmurs in Kryptonese and Alex replies back in foreign tongue before switching to English. "No, no, no Kara, you need to solar flare."

"Can't," she mumbles weakly and Lena can barely make out the words. "No strength."

"The bacteria are using the light absorbed by your cells to make themselves stronger, to reproduce, while they take away your powers and make you weaker. The infection is only going to get worse, Kar, you need to do this now."

" _Alex,"_ she whimpers.

"I know." Alex sinks in front of her sister, kneeling and taking Kara's hand in her own. With the other she brushes back blonde hair and Kara closes her eyes, tears leaking out of the corners. "I know you're miserable and I know everything hurts and trust me if I could do this instead of you, I would, but I can't, Kara. It has to be you."

There's a knock on the door and J'onn appears. "Dr. Hamilton told me your plan, this will help." He raises a small black box towards her. "It can absorb her heat vision, minimize the destruction."

"Thank you," Alex says and he nods.

"Thank you for keeping your head in this, Alex. You've done well. We'll get a room set up with lightning that doesn't give off any UV rays, I have agents on it now," he says and turns to Kara. "It's time to finish the job, Supergirl. We all know you can do it."

He squeezes Kara's hand and closes the door behind him.

"All right, Kar, just focus and go as fast as you can."

Alex hands Kara the small box and seeks out Maggie's face in the darkness. She catches her gaze, illuminated by only dim light pooling in from the bottom of the door, sends a smile Alex's way and nods.

Alex gives a shaky smiles back and turns to Kara, helping her sit up. "On the count of three, ready?"

Kara pulls in a quivering breath. "Ready."

"All right, one… two… _three…"_

It's slow at first—heat vision that sparks and flickers, with progress that crawls as Kara whimpers against the pain.

Lena bites her lip, twists her fingers together.

Maggie grabs her shoulder. "It's okay, she'll be fine."

"Come on, Kara," Alex whispers. "Come on."

The blonde's grip around the rails of the stretcher dents the metal.

A stream of solar energy bursts forward; an unrelenting torrent to Kara's cries.

The blue beams shift to white. The box shakes in front of her.

Kara's wail turns sharper, morphs into a scream that makes Alex's heart clench; and then, nothing.

Then, silence for a beat of her heart before the box falls, clatters against the ground and Kara slumps backward.

Then, Alex rushes forward catches Kara's head before it can slam against the stretcher, gently lowers it instead. "No powers, right?"

Kara shakes her head. "Nothing."

"Good job, Kara," Alex says, can't help but pull her sister back up and into a hug, holding Kara so they're pressed together and her worried tears finally fall, drip into blonde hair. "You did so well. The bacteria are going to die soon without the light in your cells to use, we'll run a test in a few hours to make sure it's safe. You might feel a little worse before you get better, now that you've solar flared, but pretty soon it will all be uphill. We'll give you a few days of recovery without sunlamps and hang out here for a bit, but it's okay, you're going to be okay."

Kara nods, curls a sleepy fist around Alex's hair. "Stay?" she asks and nothing in Alex's world could ever make her say no.

"Sure," she says, shifts to move them but Kara's already asleep in her arms, her last view the softly lit faces of Maggie and Lena behind Alex, smiling gently.

"I'll go grab you two some blankets and pillows and see if we can get an actual bed from the med wing in here," Maggie says. As she leans over she sees the tears on Alex's cheeks, presses gentle kisses against them. "She's okay, Alex, you did it." Maggie tilts back, smiles at Lena. "You guys both did."

Alex nods, wiping her cheek with a hand over Kara's back. "Thanks, Maggie. I'll see you in a sec," Alex says and Maggie nods, kisses her head one more time and ruffles Kara's hair before disappearing.

Lena lingers a moment longer, hovering near the edge of the stretcher. She reaches out a hand, wavering for a second before running her fingers over Kara's hair. Lena looks toward Alex, smiling when the older woman gives her a nod.

"You did well, too, Luthor. We couldn't have done this without you."

Lena swallows and her voice is thick with emotion, a quivering whisper in the dimly lit room. "I care about her."

The look Alex gives her is gentle and warm. "I know. She cares about you, too."

Lena looks like she's about to say something when the door to the room bursts open and Maggie waves around some blankets, pillows tucked beneath her arms. They set them up on the bed that Dr. Hamilton wheels in behind her, help move Kara. And Alex keeps the blonde close, never lets the grip on her sister break, not as the medical staff flit in and out, begin necessary tests; not when J'onn comes in to check up on things or Eliza calls

They wait, for time to heal Kara, for the tests to come back.

They wait, and Alex holds her sister close.


	49. Chapter 49 - Kryptonite Bullet (Part 5)

**A/N:** Since I got a bunch of requests for a followup chapter... here it is! I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. Writing's been hard lately and I don't even know why. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, I'm only half confident about it and rewrote it at least three times, but I figured I needed to get something posted so hopefully it's all right. :)

Also, I low-key forgot that the poll was a thing, so it hasn't been updated. But, I'm going to start working on that soon since it's kind of a mess.

That's all... thanks, have a good night/day, and let me know what you think please (and any new prompts because I think that's maybe what I need to get back on track with writing) :)

* * *

"Hey, pretty girl," Alex says, swinging around the doorframe and entering Kara's room in the DEO med bay, two days after they'd had Kara intentionally blow her powers. "How are you feeling?" The brunette asks.

Kara blinks blearily, shifting herself upwards in bed and rubbing a loose fist across her eyes. "Huh?" she murmurs.

"Sorry, Kar, I didn't know you were sleeping," Alex says and steps over to the computers, begins reviewing Kara's stats and most recent tests.

"S'okay. What'd you ask?"

Alex smiles fondly and turns back towards her sister. "I asked how you were feeling." The agent says. The mattress dips slightly as she slides onto it, brushes back Kara's hair. "I know things got rough for a while yesterday but you're looking a little better."

Kara nods, reaching out for Alex, wanting something tangible and warm, wanting the safety her sister always provides. She settles against Alex, curling her arms around the woman and snuggling toward her. Alex reciprocates the hug, pulling Kara closer and knowing this clinginess will last until Kara's feeling herself again—once the fatigue and nausea and lingering fever pass, and it's safe to help her powers return; once the nightmares and cold sweats diminish and fade. Until then she'll just keep holding her tight, for as long as she needs.

Alex can't help but share in some of the clinginess, too. Can't help the fact that having Kara in her line of sight, pressed at her side, quells the panic she feels twisting in her stomach when images of Kara shaking and crying surface in her head.

"I feel good enough to go home," Kara says, looking up at Alex with a grin. "I'm tired, but only a little. Other than that I feel fine, I feel _great_ even."

"Mhmm, that's why you were sick yesterday and slept fourteen hours today, _so far_ ," Alex says raising her brows. "And you're still running a fever."

Kara shrugs, gives a sheepish smile. "I feel ready to go home, please, Alex. If we're just waiting out the rest of this, let me wait it out somewhere comfy. You could stay over if you wanted. We could have a movie night! Bring Maggie. I haven't seen her in forever. Every time she comes by I'm sleeping," Kara tilts her head against Alex, looking up at her again with wide eyes. " _Please_ just get me out of here. I'm bored and I'd sleep better at home and honestly I still don't feel super great because I don't have my powers and it would all be easier if I weren't here _."_

Alex sighs. "I'm only saying yes because your stats are improving at a good rate and I already consulted with Dr. Hamilton and got her approval, too."

"So I can go?!" Kara sits up, a smile lighting up her features, nearly tripping herself as she tries to get out of the bed and stand.

"Slow down, hot shot," Alex says, putting a hand on Kara's shoulder and pushing her back down until she sits on the edge of the mattress, swallowed by the hospital gown and kicking her feet back and forth as they dangled over the floor; looking every bit of the thirteen year old she was when Alex first met her.

Kara just sits smiling, eyebrows raised expectantly.

"I'm staying over for a few days to keep an eye on you and we're coming to the DEO for full check-ups at least every two days, okay?"

Kara nods. "Anything else?"

Alex shakes her head.

"Good," Kara smiles, leans into Alex. "Text Maggie."

Alex smiles and pulls Kara closer. "I will. Should we go pick up that _best friend_ of yours from the lab before we leave."

"Lena's still here?! Rao, what's she been doing?"

"Going over your test results again and again and again, deconstructing the parts of the bullet we pulled out of you, studying the bacteria…. A lot actually."

Kara sighs and nestles into Alex's shoulder. "She works too much."

Alex laughs. "She does. Now are you ready to get out of here?"

Kara nods. Her legs wobble as she stands, the cold tile pressing through her thin socks and the room spinning just a bit. "To Lena!" she declares anyway, raising her arm forward and shifting toward the door, instead she slips and Alex's hands are around her shoulder in a minute, pulling her back up.

"And then… to the couch!" Alex says, grinning as she lifts the pitch of her voice to imitate Kara. "So you can sleep for _another_ fourteen hours."

"Yay," Kara deadpans and even though she grumbles, she lets Alex tug her close, leans heavily into her sister's side as they walk to the lab.

/

"Hey Danvers," Maggie says when she gets home, setting down bags of food on the counter and pressing up on her tiptoes to kiss Alex. "Missed you."

Alex smiles, big and bright. "You too," she says.

"Little Luthor, always a pleasure." Maggie nods and winks. "But I'm surprised anyone actually got you out of the lab, kind of thought we weren't going to see you again."

Lena laughs. "Kara used her puppy eyes," Alex says. "That, and she refused to leave unless Lena came, too and Kar looked like she was going to fall asleep right there on the spot if we didn't get moving."

Lena nods in agreement. "It was for Kara's sake."

"Mhmm. Speaking of, where is that girl?" Maggie asks, pulling out boxes of pizza. "I still haven't had a real conversation with her after everything happened."

"Asleep on the couch," Alex says as she shuffles through Kara's kitchen cabinets for plates and cups. "But I should get her up soon, she needs to eat something."

"I can do it," Maggie says, disappearing around the counter and toward the living room. Affection swells in her chest as she sees Kara sprawled across the couch, lying on her stomach with her face shoved into cushion, breathing softly.

Kara wakes to gentle fingers rubbing circles on her back. " _Alex,"_ she groans. " 'm tir'd go 'way."

"Not Alex."

The blonde twists her head around, keeping the rest of her body tucked against the couch, and opens one eye to peek through a curtain of mused hair.

"Maggie?!" she asks, voice soft and lilting.

"Yeah, I- _oh."_ She's cut off by Kara lurching off the couch, throwing her arms around Maggie and hugging her tightly. "Hey, kid," she says through a soft laugh as she runs her thumb over Kara's shoulder blade.

"Sorry," Kara says, blushing slightly and starting to pull back.

"Oh no, absolutely no apologizing, Little Danvers," Maggie says, tugging Kara back into the embrace and swaying back and forth for a second.

The detective feels Kara smile against her shoulder. "I just missed you and I didn't get to say thank you for sticking with me when all of that went down."

"Of course," Maggie says, looking a little like she might cry as she leans back so she can see Kara. She runs a hand over blonde hair. "And I didn't get to yell at you for scaring the shit of me, and your sister, and just about every other person in National City and then some."

Kara smiles sheepishly. "Sorry?"

"Let's just agree that you avoid bullets in the future whenever possible."

"No promises," Kara says and Maggie groans, offering Kara a hand and pulling her up into a standing position.

"Oh, and Kara?" Maggie says as they turn to face the kitchen where Lena and Alex are engaged in their nerdy science talk, hands gesturing animatedly. Maggie shifts, dropping her gaze and twisting her fingers together. "You took that bullet for Alex, which was stupid and brave and so selfless, and I have to thank you for being the reason my fiancée is still here today. But I also have to let you know, that you're… you're like my little sister, Kara… You know, I couldn't stand to lose you either." Maggie's voice cracks on the last syllable and oh, if she wasn't crying before she definitely is now.

She wipes her cheeks harshly and Kara hugs her again. "Maggie, I love you, and you're a really good big sister, okay?"

Maggie laughs, wipes her eyes one more time and the tears are gone. "Thanks. I love you too, Little Danvers. And I think you're going to love me even more when you see that I brought your favorite soup from Noonan's."

"Really?!" Kara's eyes light up and she looks over Maggie's shoulder into the kitchen. "Oh my Rao, you did! Come on," she says, tugging Maggie forward and out of the living room.

/

Kara convinces them to eat on the couch and somehow, with significantly more pouting and pleading, she convinces them to put on _Rent_ for movie night, too. With Lena next to Kara and Alex pressed against her other side, and Maggie only an arm's length away, Kara lets out a content sigh, sinking into the back of the couch.

She gets a quarter of the way through her soup before she lets the spoon clang against the edge, shifts under Alex's grip so she can slide the bowl onto the coffee table, trading its warmth for fully snuggling up against her sister instead. Alex opens up her arm, receives Kara into her side with a soft kiss against her temple and dips her head against Kara's.

"I love you," Alex whispers an hour and a half later, voice warm as she rubs Kara's shoulder.

"I love you, too," Kara says, tilting her head back and looking up at Alex. "I think we're the only ones awake, I might have worn you guys out over the past few days."

Alex's features sober. "Kara, you have no idea how worried I've been… how worried _we've_ been." Her voice falls thick with emotion as she buries her nose in Kara's hair, exhales shakily. "Lena literally didn't leave the lab and Maggie's been at the precinct following up and working every angle, trying to see if there's any information on Lillian's whereabouts, and I… I, well…" She trails off into a shrug and Kara hears the indicative crack in Alex's words connoting that she's about to cry; feels it when the first droplet falls into her hair.

"Well you haven't left my side," Kara finishes for her sister, shifts upward so they're eye to eye. The blonde reaches out, gently brushes tears from Alex's cheeks and feels them stinging down her own.

"Kara, you took a bullet for me," Alex says, a quiet sob cracking from inside her chest. "A kryptonite bullet that you _knew_ could kill you."

"What else was I supposed to do?" Kara says softly. "You're my sister, I couldn't live without you."

"Well I feel the same way about you, Kar. And the world… the world couldn't live without Supergirl, it's more important that you-"

Kara shakes her head, blonde hair shaking across her back. The movement makes her a little dizzy but she forces her eyes to stay open, takes Alex's hand in her own. "No. I don't want to hear you talking like that at all—like… like I'm somehow more significant, like my survival is more important than yours, like-"

Alex pulls her hand away, runs it through her hair. "But it _is,_ Kara, you're a superhero."

"But I wouldn't be if it weren't for you!" Kara exclaims, bolting upright. Beside her Lena stirs, murmuring sleepily and Kara freezes, waits for Lena to curl back into the couch before the blonde looks at her sister. "Listen, Alex, I don't want to fight, _please._ But I just want to say that you are everything to me and you are everything to Maggie and you are _so_ much more important than you realize. I would take any bullet for you, always."

Alex shakes her head, brushes away more tears that drip down her cheeks as she stands. "I was just so s-scared, seeing you there like that, Kara, it was awful."

"I know," Kara says. "I'm sorry it happened like that."

"I'm just glad you're safe." Alex pulls Kara back into another hug, feels her trembling under the touch. "You're shaking, come on, you said it yourself… no fighting, okay? Let's just snuggle."

"I can agree to that," Kara says with a soft smile, lets Alex lead her back onto the couch and tucks into the brunette's side, smiles softly at Lena's sleeping form, and Maggie's, as the detective gravitates subconsciously back to Alex as soon as she's on the couch again. Kara dips her head onto Alex's shoulder, lets her sister's warmth and steady heartbeat lure her eyes closed; let's her sister's presence envelope and ground her—just like she's done a thousand times before, just like she'll do a thousand times again—this time with two more people snuggled up on her couch. It's what she takes bullets for.

It's all she really needs.


	50. Chapter 50 - Fort Rozz Escapee

**A/N:** Before I say anything, I need to give the biggest thanks possible to GuestSupergirl for literally being the reason that the poll is finally updated. When I saw that you'd gone through and fixed everything I honestly teared up... that was so sweet and so kind, so thank you SO much. I can't even put into words how much I appreciate it. Now everything is so organized (and I have a list with the users and prompts they submitted together, saved as a copy on my computer, which was SO helpful). Thank you, thank you, thank you with all my heart.

So, with that said, big thanks to everyone for all the nice reviews on the last chapter, too. If I haven't responded to yours it's because I've been so busy. I'm trying my best to get back to everyone but school has started again so my free time has been drastically reduced. That being said, updates will probably take longer now, with all the work I've got, but just know I'll be trying my best to get updates out. :) Reminders and encouragements are always helpful and appreciated ;)

All right, without further delay, thank you to Whalegang34 for today's prompt: **A Fort Rozz escapee messes with Kara's mind and emotions.**

Reminder: Don't forget to vote on the poll if you'd like, because it's updated (for the first time in months, thanks to GuestSupergirl!)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter.

* * *

"Supergirl!" Alex's footsteps thundered against the pavement, knees driving forward, legs pumping back. She pushed off her toe and yanked herself upward, swinging her feet over a fence and landing before trying again, " _Supergirl!"_

Sirens rang through the streets and lingering civilians gawked. Alex knocked shoulders, shuffling with focused feet as she shoved herself forward, broke through the crowd and into the road, sliding between police barricades.

"Supergirl!" Her voice quivered against the chaos, penetrated the billow of black smoke clouding the air; its source an alien, presumably dead now, judging from the thick smoke and alien sludge splattered across the street. But still, Kara was nowhere to be seen.

 _Kara, Kara, Kara._

"Supergirl!"

Screaming, silence, shaking Earth.

And then, something.

Then, Maggie.

"I've got her."

A voice from the dark smoke, figures emerging from vapor that thinned and wisped. "I've got her," Maggie called out again, took form in front of Alex's eyes and the woman rushed forward.

Maggie dipped her head toward Kara, whispered more softly. "I've got you."

The blonde tipped on her feet, head reeling and vision blurring around the edges. Echoes of the alien's voice pounded in her skull, sunk in her gut.

"Kara," Alex whispered low enough so only they can hear, let out a stream of breath and took Kara into her arms from Maggie's strong hold. "Hey, you okay?"

Kara nodded and pulled back, dazed and looking down and pushing gunk off her super suit. "Yeah, no, I'm fine—I'm fine, just a little sore and… no I'm fine, I'm fine." She shifted hesitantly, testing weight on her aching muscles. "And covered in its disgusting goo." She shook her hand, sent the black sludge splashing on the ground, its remnants clinging to her bare skin. "Yuck." She shuddered, pulling laughs from Maggie and Alex.

"It even got in my mouth!" Kara groaned, blinked again as the world came into focus. "A lot! I can still taste it—and it was in my nose!"

"You're a mess," Alex said and a grin—part relief, part amusement—lit up her cheeks. "Let's get you cleaned up at the DEO and then movie time?"

Kara nodded and smiled, falling in step with Maggie and Alex. "Sorry I got goo on you, Maggie," Kara said.

"It's fine, Little Danvers, it only got on my clothes. You on the other hand, are saturated."

The blonde groaned, a little pout appearing across her lips as they turned into an alley, making their way to a DEO van. Kara looked down at the goo dripping from her suit, her hands. "It's _gross."_

" _You're_ a little gross right now, Kara," Maggie teased.

Kara made a face, dramatically grasping her chest with her hand. "Well I know I'm not snuggling with you tonight."

"Oh however will I survive?"

Alex snorted and Kara's frown fell farther, causing both older women to laugh.

"Come here," Alex said, grinning and opening her arm up to Kara. The blonde smiled and leaned into Alex's one armed hug. "Just… keep your alien goo on the clothes, all right? I don't want any of that on my skin… gross"

" _Alex."_

/

"What was even up with that alien guy?" Alex asked as they piled into Maggie's car a few hours later, pulling out of the DEO parking garage.

Kara shrugged and leaned her head against the window in the backseat. "I don't know. I think he was a Fort Rozz escapee, kept talking about my mom and Krypton." She scrunched her face up, rubbed at a piercing throb in her forehead.

It was quiet for a moment and Kara shifted, pulling a knee up to her chest and resting her chin there. "So they didn't find the alien?"

Alex shook her head, tried to catch Kara's eye in the rearview mirror, but the blonde kept looking outward, gaze trained onto some distance beyond the car, beyond this planet, this atmosphere. "No, they haven't been able to determine yet if he was killed on the scene or managed to get away. But if he's still out there we'll get him. It's just a matter of time."

Kara nodded and silence fell over the car again.

"So, Little Danvers, are you picking out the movie tonight?"

The only response was the static hum of the radio.

"Little Danvers?"

Nothing.

"Kara?"

"Hmm?" The blonde's head snapped in Maggie's direction and she reached to push back hair where it had fallen in her face.

"The movie, for night," Maggie said again, voice softening. "You got one picked out?"

Kara shrugged and shook her head. "No, not really. I'm kind of tired."

She missed the concerned glance Alex shot her through the rearview mirror, heard Maggie hum sympathetically.

But Kara could only lean back in her seat, listen inside her head as the alien's voice said words to her in native tongue, that only Alura had ever said, whispered at night to Kara when she was little and tucked in bed.

/

Kara pushed around her food while they ate dinner, cheek mushed in the palm of her hand as she rested it there, eyes half lidded and breath slow.

"All right, come on," Alex said, nudged Kara gently and rubbed her shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"You're falling asleep at the table, Kar. How about we put something on tv and you can get some rest?"

Kara gave a nod and stood, thanking Maggie as the detective cleaned up the table before joining them on the couch just as the sun began dipping below the horizon.

Kara sprawled across the cushions, curling into Alex's side and groaning. "My stomach hurts."

Alex threaded fingers through Kara's hair. "Sorry, sis."

Kara murmured incoherently, snuggling closer as Maggie plopped onto the couch at her other side and rubbed Kara's leg.

A smirk tugged across Alex's lips. "And I'm especially sorry you literally ate alien shit earlier today."

Without opening her eyes, Kara grabbed the nearest pillow and swung it at Alex, landing a hit against her side. "Just for that, I might lean against Maggie instead. She's warmer than you are, anyway."

Maggie grinned smugly, threw a look over to Alex. "What do you have to say to that, babe?"

"I say that Kara's too tired to move so she's stuck with me."

" 'm not even that tir'd," the blonde mumbled into Alex's shirt, nose pressing into her sister's side as she wiggled closer.

"Sure." Alex deadpanned, Maggie shooting her a look that made laughter bubble forward.

" _Alex, stop,"_ Kara whined. "You're moving too much and it's not funny anymore."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Alex said and ran a hand up and down Kara's back. "Just try to sleep for a while, you'll feel better when you wake up."

Except, when Kara nodded and closed her eyes again, relinquished her grasps on wakefulness, Kara saw Krypton.

She saw Krypton in her dreams, and for the first time in thirteen years, she could read the street signs, could whisper names to address the faces she saw, could make out the words to the lullaby her mother was singing and understand the text in her father's hand, follow along as he flipped the page.

But then, blood ran from the walls of her childhood home. The red sun of her planet turned thick with the crimson liquid, spilled it forward and the streets flooded and the rain kept coming and her parents drowned and her lungs filled and she shot upward screaming, eyes opening to pitch black and gargled sounds, shuffling and shifting and distant voice in a language she knew best but was not raised on.

And then the room is drenched in soft yellow light and Maggie is already turning away from the switch, coming closer and Alex is already there, hovering over Kara's head, fingers dipping into Kara's sweat soaked locks of blonde, shushing, soothing.

Kara's still screaming, still blinking as the shapes take form and the blurs sharpen away and the moonlight sinks in and her lungs scorch and her heart beats and reality takes hold.

"It's over, okay? It was only a nightmare, it's over." Alex got on her knees, cupped her sisters tearstained cheeks.

Kara dropped to the floor, keeled over and her head fell into Alex's lap and Kara sobbed.

It was only a nightmare.

Alex's fingers brushed through her hair.

It was only a nightmare.

Alex rubbed circles on her back.

It was only a nightmare.

Maggie pulled them both into a hug.

It was only a nightmare.

Kara let out a shuddering breath.

It was only a nightmare,

But it was just the beginning.

* * *

 **Sooooo I might have turned another prompt into a multi-chapter story... I'm thinking this one will probably be a two-shot. We'll see ;)**


	51. Chapter 51 - Fort Rozz Escapee (Part 2)

**A/N:** All right, here's the second (and last) part. The next prompt should come from the poll so head over there to vote if you'd still like to.

Btw in this chapter Lena is part of the superfriends, she knows Kara is Supergirl, Maggie and Kara are pals... the usual.

Hope you enjoy, let me know your thoughts!

* * *

"You're okay, it's all right."

Alex's voice was a sturdy pulse against the vibrating air, a settling thump against the screaming of the city's stimuli in Kara's ears.

Kara tucked her head down, weeping, drenching Alex's pajama pants, twisting an arm around Alex's middle, because Kara couldn't talk, couldn't talk, couldn't talk but she could feel—could feel Alex's hand rubbing slowly, steadily up and down her spine, thumb massaging her shoulder blade; could feel Maggie standing close; could feel heartbeats and crushing weight of worlds.

And Alex waited. Waited for Kara to raise her head, shift, before Alex encircled strong arms around Kara, guided her so she was sitting upright, hugged tightly against Alex.

"I don't want to go back to sleep," Kara murmured, quivering through a high pitched whisper. "I can't, Alex. I can't."

Alex stroked her hair. "Hey, hey, that's okay, it's fine. We'll stay up… we can watch movies until sunrise."

Kara nodded, sniffling and wiping her tears.

"Come on, let's get back on the couch, okay?"

With the slightest tilt of Kara's chin, Alex eased them upward and back onto the couch with Kara still clinging at her side, curling over with a whimper so her nose brushed Alex's collarbone as tears threatened to spill over again.

"Oh hey, shh, you're okay," Alex whispered, stroked a hand over Kara's hair and pressed a kiss to her temple. "You're okay."

"I know, I know… I just—" She blew out a stuttering breath of warm air, rubbed at the wet skin of her cheeks.

"What?" Alex prompted gently.

Kara's face crumpled. "Krypton," she managed before a cough took away her lungs, sent her diaphragm heaving.

Maggie offered a glass of water for Kara to Alex, the brunette took it, tilted it toward her sister, steadied it in shaking hands. Kara took slow sips, fingers clinging as glossy eyes stared blankly.

Maggie disappeared and returned a moment later, wrapping a blanket around Kara from behind. "What'd you do that for?" Kara asked as she curled her fingers around the soft fabric, nestling it against her cheek.

Maggie grinned back. "If we're going to stay up watching movies the rest of the night, we need to get you comfortable, don't we? You were shivering."

Kara smiled, a soft 'thank you' coming from her lips as she and Alex shifted over, made room for Maggie on Alex's other side.

"So," Alex began as she took the remote and opened Netflix. "No falling asleep, what movie's up first?"

Except Kara did fall asleep.

Except Kara fell asleep and woke up screaming just an hour later, drenched in sweat and shaking.

Except it happened again the next day and the one after that and then it became habit—waking up alone, chest heaving in the darkness, Krypton in pieces in her head.

It happened until she stopped sleeping at night, took to the skies instead. Until she fell asleep at CatCo, at the DEO—woke up with tears burning in her eyes on the seventh day, etching rivers across her cheeks as the door to the lab swung open and Alex burst in.

"Listen, I'll be right back. There's a—whoa, hey, hey, what's the matter?"

And Alex was by her side in an instant, stroking her hair, rubbing her back, holding her together.

"Nothing," she murmured thickly, wiping her eyes. "Just a bad dream."

"Still? You said they stopped after that first night."

Kara shrugged, eyes watery and lip quivering.

Alex pulled Kara in for a tight hug. "Okay, we're definitely talking when I get back."

"Wait, where are you going?" Kara straightened, followed Alex's movements as she headed toward the door.

Alex sighed, hesitance flashing across her face before her shoulders dropped and she turned around to face her sister. "You remember the alien from last week, with the nasty goo and big explosion?"

Kara's entire frame tensed, its words cycling through her head—the clarity with which it had spoken about Krypton, about her home and her parents. She sat frozen for a moment, swallowing before blinking and nodding.

"He's back, wreaking havoc on some civilians."

"I'll come," Kara said, standing from the chair, swaying on tired legs.

"Kara, no. J'onn wants you to sit this one out, you had a close call last time."

Kara shook her head and took another step forward. "It'll give me some closure and then maybe these dreams will stop."

"Closure?"

"I'll explain later, please Alex, can we just go and get this over with?"

Alex glanced down at her watch. "I don't have time to argue so we leave now. If the alien starts getting the upper hand, you get away, all right? Let the DEO take over completely."

Kara nodded, followed Alex's quick footsteps down the hall and out of the base.

/

Twenty minutes later and Kara was in the clouds, trembling as the alien floated across from her, gazes locked. There was a boom and crack and Kara plummeted, dropped from the sky into the pavement and the DEO snapped into action.

Kara rose shakily, testing her strength with a few steps as a flurry of agents rushed forward, weapons aimed before the alien could insinuate more damage. It speed toward a hospital when the kill shot was released and the spray of bullet pierced its scaly skin. A puff of black smoke expanded outward and fell, particles sinking heavily as the body crashed down, cratered beside Kara.

The blonde's knees buckled, a yelp tearing from between her lips, as she bent forward, palms pressing against her hairline.

Alex spun on her heels, holstered her weapon and sprinted to close the distance.

"Supergirl?!" she called out, drooped down beside her sister. "What's wrong?"

Kara shook her head quickly, whimpering again and freezing, digging the heels of her palms harder against her skin.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay. What hurts? What's wrong?"

"Head," Kara choked out, leaning forward and into her knees.

"We're going back to the DEO," Alex determined, wrapped her arms around Kara and eased her up. "Dizzy?"

Kara nodded, eyes squeezed shut as she inched through a step, leaning against Alex.

"All right, you've got it, we're almost there."

It was when they reached the DEO medical van that a boom sounded, reverberated through the city. Comms sounded in Alex's ear: another attack, unrelated but definitely extraterrestrial, four blocks over.

"Go," Kara said, opening her eyes and blinking in the brightness. "I'll be fine, you need to go."

Alex's lips formed a thin line as she pressed them together. "But Kar—"

"Agent Danvers, you ready? We're heading over now. It's getting messy fast," called a passing agent.

Kara tilted her head toward the direction the squads were already following. "Go, go. I feel a little better already."

Alex sighed, a deep and heavy breath that sunk in her lungs. "Take care of yourself, okay? I'll try to stop by later."

Kara nodded. "Stay safe, Alex."

"Do my best. I love you, Kar."

"Love you, too."

/

Lena's phone vibrated on her desk, shaking a stack of papers and she lurched forward, picking up the device and swiping to accept the call before it woke the sleeping blonde on the couch just a few feet away.

It was nearly midnight, Lena noted, as she saw Alex's name grow across her screen.

"Lena, listen have you seen Kara?" the agent asked before Lena could even ask what was wrong. "Stuff happened at work today and I was supposed to check up on her but I got held up and now she isn't answering her phone and it's been hours and I've been to the DEO and her apartment and CatCo and she isn't there and no one has seen her, so I—"

"She's with me, Alex."

"With you?"

"Yes, with me."

"Is she okay?"

Lena put down the pen in her hand, settled back in her chair and let her eyes drift toward Kara. "She's fine, just exhausted. She fell asleep on the couch in my office, waiting for me to finish up some work before we grabbed dinner. I know she hasn't been sleeping well and it just seemed wrong to wake her when her body so clearly needs rest."

"Okay," Alex's voice was slower now. There was a pause and a breath and when Lena closed her eyes she could make out Maggie in the background, could hear Alex's whisper of 'she's okay, she's with Lena.' "Okay, should I come get her? You really shouldn't be at work this late yourself, Luthor."

Lena gave a shrug as she spoke and Alex could nearly see it in her head. "I'm all right, just wrapping up a few things, and Kara… she looks all right, too. I have some takeout for when she wakes up, if she doesn't do it on her own within half an hour, I'll get her up, take her back to her apartment."

Lena waited as Alex pondered the situation. "Did she say anything about her head? Or seem like it was bothering her at all?"

"She appeared a little dazed, as though it may have been hurting a bit, but she didn't mention it and it didn't seem major."

Another slow exhale and then Alex gave a decisive nod. "Okay, just let me know if you or she needs anything."

"Of course. Have a good night, Alex."

"You too, Lena. Thanks for taking care of her."

"Anytime." There was a silence that hung in the air and when Lena spoke again Alex knew she was looking at Kara. "It's what friends are for, right?"

/

That morning Kara woke in her apartment, blinking in the darkness and trying to piece together the memories of how she'd gotten there.

Her breath speed up, her gentle heartbeat began thundering.

A hand moved on its own accord, collided with a warm figure on her right. She bolted off the couch, shaking in the living room with a breath in her throat. _Krypton, Krypton, Krypton._

 _In clarity._

 _Burning, burning, burning._

She bit her lip and choked on a sob.

 _Blood and fire and screaming._

 _Her mother's last words, her father's last hug._

 _Her teacher's name in school, the street where she grew up._

 _Her favorite books in native tongue, the art supplies composed of elements that didn't exist on this planet._

 _Her neighbors, her best friends, her cousins._

 _Burning, burning, burning._

 _In clarity._

 _Krypton, krypton, krypton._

"Kara, it's me. It's Lena."

 _Earth, Earth, Earth._

She let out a breath.

 _Lena, Lena, Lena._

Shoved at the tears brimming her eyes, left red bruises tainting her cheeks.

"Lena."

A breathy exhale. A familiar name.

"I'm right here with you, Kara. We're in your apartment, we came her last night and fell asleep watching movies."

"Oh." Kara pressed a palm, flat and spread, against her forehead and upward, pushing dampened blonde hair out of the way, mussed and wild. "Oh okay," she breathed out and nodded. "Okay yeah."

"Are you all right? Did you have a bad dream?"

Kara shook her head, brows crinkled. "No, I was fine when I woke up it was after, it was…"

Eyes blinked back at her in the darkness, deep blue that she'd grown up with. Her father. Her father's eyes were blinking back at her from across the room.

Her chest tightened.

"Kara?"

Her voice was too loud.

Kara stood.

"Kara?"

Took a step forward.

A shadow tore through the sliver of dim light seeping underneath the door from the hall.

"Lena, who else is here?"

"What?"

Her voice was strung tight and high, quivering with the weight of tears. Her hands shook at her side, against the waist of her pajama bottoms. "Who else is in this apartment, right now?"

Lena stood this time, her frame blocked out the eyes and she shook her head, held Kara's gaze but the blonde looked past her.

"No one else is here, Kara."

Kara's voice shook, low and cautious. "Turn on the lights. Lena, can you please turn on the lights?!"

Lena stood frozen for a moment.

The eyes stared from across the room.

"Now! Lena, please, please can you get them now."

Lena bolted, around the couch and ten, twenty steps over, hit the light switch, drenching the room in soft yellow that filled the crevices and ran out the darkness.

"See?" she said gently, turning back around. "Nothing here."

Kara was on her knees, head in her hands, earnest sobs begging to break free. "It was nightmare," she murmured. "It had to be a nightmare."

"Kara." Lena was at her side in an instant, a gentle hand on her back. "What's going on?"

Kara shook for a moment, silent before raising her head marginally, feature expressed in blotchy cheeks and watery eyes.

"Don't tell Alex about this, please."

Lena stayed silent, encouraged Kara to keep talking and the blonde leaned back until her spine pressed against the bottom of the couch. "She thinks something's wrong with me, but it's not. I'm just thinking about Krypton a lot and I don't—I don't want to worry her. It's nothing, just a few dreams, that's all."

"This seemed like more than just a dream, Kara."

"Please, Lena, I'll do anything just don't tell anyone; especially not Alex, please."

Lena took Kara's hand in both of her own. "Promise me you'll tell her yourself when you can, when you're ready."

"Okay." Kara nodded and tears dripped of her cheeks, splattered on the floor. "I will, I just need time."

"I can give you that," Lena said, brushing tears off the blonde's cheek with gentle, warm fingers; and when Kara looked up Lena was smiling softly at her.

Kara sniffled and stood. "Thank you."

Lena nodded, followed Kara's movements and rose off the floor. "Do you want me to stay the rest of the night?"

Kara shook her head. "No, it's okay. I—I think I want to be alone right now."

"Are you sure?" Lena asked.

Kara nodded. "Yeah," she said, hesitant at first, but firmer the second time as she managed a small smile. "Yeah, it's nearly six in the morning, I have to get ready for work eventually and you'll have to go soon too, I'll be fine."

"Promise you'll call if you're not? I can be here in fifteen minutes."

"Of course."

"And you'll get to Alex when you're ready?"

"Definitely."

"Take care, Kara," Lena said, squeezed her friend tightly, lingering in their hug.

"You too, Lena. Thank you for staying and taking me home earlier."

"Always," she said and then she was stepping into the hall and the door was closing and Kara was alone, alone, alone.

She kept the lights on after that, crashed on the couch, facedown with tears pooling.

 _Something was wrong. Something was wrong with her._

She didn't make it to work until after noon that day. Slept through four alarms and nine phone calls from various people.

She didn't make it to the DEO until just before nine that night, when she knew Alex would be on a date with Maggie.

She didn't turn off the lights when she got home, when she fell into bed and closed her eyes and willed her head to stop, stop, stop.

/

Two days later she woke up with a scream in her throat because there were voices in her head and each one spoke Kryptonese. Each one shouted over the other. Each one knew things she thought she'd forgotten, each one was both familiar and foreign after years of separation.

/

The next day she froze in the middle of a crosswalk, nearly got hit by a car because the streak of white in dark hair she saw belonged to Astra. Because she had to follow, so she took off sprinting, just barely keeping her speed human. So she'd followed and called out and pushed down hard against concrete as her legs tingled to leap and fly. So she'd followed, until she ended up in a dark alley blinking because she was alone and two miles away from the crosswalk she'd started.

She sunk to the ground with her head in her hands, because there wasn't another beating heart within a hundred meter radius of the rundown building.

/

It was four days before Alex saw Kara again, tall frame tilted toward the railing at the DEO base, brows furrowed like she wasn't seeing the still stars and softening night through the large window; like the scene in front of her was something else, somewhere else.

Alex crushed her into a hug from behind. "Where the hell have you been?" she asked.

Kara blinked once, twice. Shook her head before untangling herself from Alex's embrace and taking a step back. "Busy at CatCo… you know that. I—we talked on the phone."

Alex's teasing grin fell. "No, I know, I was messing with you. It's just weird that we wouldn't see each other for that many days… especially, when you know you really need to get checked up by medical."

Kara shook her head. Too fast, too sharp. "That's not necessary. I'm fine, really. I feel good, I feel—" Her head tilted toward the window, expression telling Alex she was listening with her superhearing, crinkle forming, eyes scrunching. "Shit, that's loud. Do you hear it?"

Alex shook her head, reached out a put a gentle hand on Kara's wrist. "Maybe you do need to get checked out, you might have—"

Kara yanked her hand away and shook her head. "I'm not crazy!"

Alex inched forward, palms upward and raised in innocence. "Whoa, hey, I never said you were."

Kara backed up, until she collided with the railing, the metal denting behind her. The sound thundered in her ear. "It's loud, it's… Krypton, it sounds like Krypton did when it... I—I have to go, I have to..."

She pushed off the floor.

" _Kara!_ Wait!"

She was already swallowed by the darkness.

Alex had Winn run through databases of street cameras and police radios.

There had been no explosion that night.

/

"Sister night, my place as soon as I got off work in three hours," Alex declared the next evening, approaching Kara from behind and rubbing her shoulder, seeing her for the first time all day.

Kara turned around. Purple beneath her eyes, and pale skin screamed her exhaustion. "I don't know, Alex. I'm pretty tired and I'm so busy, I was on my way out to CatCo now. Snapper needs me to do some last minute stuff with… articles and… stuff. It's really important and he needs it before midnight, so-"

Alex shook her head. "I talked to James, you're not scheduled to work today."

Kara's brows furrowed, a flash of anger heated across her cheeks and the rise of shame at being caught in a lie billowed forward. "You talked to James?! Alex, why are you going asking question about my work schedule? That's none of your business."

"You're right," Alex began, a sincerity bleeding through her voice that kept Kara from storming away. "Not normally, but you've been avoiding me, you've been avoiding Maggie, and you've been avoiding Lena, and when I talked to Winn I heard the same thing. So I called James, because I was worried about you, and he mentioned that it'd been a while since he's seen you, that you weren't working today."

Her voice was slow and soft and warm, and Kara's resolve fell, gaze trained on her feet. " 'm sorry, I didn't want to lie to you."

"Then don't," Alex said gently, pulled Kara softly out of the middle of the hall. "Nothing you tell me is going to change our relationship, nothing's going to make me think any less of you."

"Later, okay?" Kara asked, finally lifting her eyes. Maybe Alex could help her, could keep away the shadows that grew bigger, the memories that suffocated; and maybe Kara wouldn't have to open her mouth through any of it. Wouldn't have to say the words that would confirm all of this was true. That she was slipping, slipping, slipping away.

But it would be too much.

"How about we have a movie night instead? We could invite some of the superfriends?" she tried with a little shrug, and an empty smile bobbing across her lips.

She couldn't be alone with Alex. Not yet, not until she got better control. Otherwise she'd start talking and she wouldn't be able to stop the chilling words that would come out, the sentences that were spoken by the dead and the lost and the lonely.

Although her demeanor was hesitant Alex nodded and agreed and said she'd send out a few texts, see Kara in a few hours, pick up pizza and potstickers. She pulled Kara into a hug and whispered into her ear and all Kara could do was stand frozen, eyes trained on the blurry fleeting figure, a body of shadow slinking at the end of the hallway.

/

"Kara?" Maggie whispered softly a few hours later to the blonde tucked beside her. The younger woman's entire body was trembling, her finger had been rubbing at her temples for the past fifteen minutes, eyes squeezed shut as a fight scene broke out on the TV. On Maggie's other side Alex snuggled into her shoulder, and Maggie could tell she was still fighting off hurt and worry from Kara avoiding her, from Kara politely declining the offer Alex gave to scoot over and make room for Kara on her other side. Across the room James and Winn sat on the other couch, with Lena curled up at the end. Kara whimpered involuntary, so softly that Maggie could barely hear it over the movie. "Kara, you okay, kid?"

Kara opened her eyes, blinked slowly. "Yeah," she gave a soft sniffle. "I'm just gonna go get some water and a little space."

"Okay," Maggie said as Kara stood, body still a mess of quivers. The detective gave a warm smile to Kara, leaned over to Alex as the blonde disappeared into the kitchen.

"What's she doing?" Alex whispered.

"Water," Maggie replied and Alex's body tightened as she wiggled upward.

A few seconds passed before the apartment door was opened and pushed closed with a force that rattled the frame, jarred Alex's ribs.

The brunette jumped up. "Something is wrong, Maggie. I have to—I have to go after her, I'll be back in a few minutes. Just don't worry, okay?" The words ran from her mouth as she moved to the door and out into the hall.

The doorway to stairwell was cracked ajar and Alex swung it open, tearing up flights of stairs until her legs were burning and her lungs were screaming.

It was when she reached the top that she threw the door open and climbed out onto the roof.

It was when she reached the top that chilled gusts of night air whipped at her cheeks and she saw Kara from behind and her blonde hair knotted in the wind and Kara dropped the glass in her hand and it shattered to pieces and Kara stepped forward and Kara was looking to something, to someone, in front of her.

And Alex peered around in the darkness and Kara's voice cracked and Kryptonese poured from broken lips and the language cried the word 'mama.'

And Kara reached out to this figure without a body, this mist that existed only in her head, and Kara's hand met the frigid air of night and nothing more, and Kara's knees buckled and crashed into the pile of broken glass and blood drew forward and her lips quivered into an azure hue and Supergirl shivered.

It was her mom, as alive as she had seen her in thirteen years.

It was her mom, speaking softly, speaking lovingly with words that were new and words that swelled in their wholeness.

It was her mom, who had disappeared and turned to dust and died at Kara's hand when she reached out for one more touch, one more touch, one more touch.

"Kara, come 'ere," Alex whispered, closed the distance between them. Glass crunched beneath her sock clad feet as she crouched behind Kara, but Alex didn't flinch, didn't curse, just wrapped her sister up in a hug from behind, just lifted her up and away from the mess, tucked her own arm under Kara's shoulder and led her out of the frosty night and away from the hollowing winds and the ghosts.

She walked her down stairs to the apartment where the lights had been turned on and the movie paused, she held her close as she called J'onn, and Maggie insisted on easing the pieces of shattered glass from the soles of Alex's feet as she talked, told J'onn they were heading over to the DEO, that medical needed to prep for Supergirl. That something was wrong.

And Lena pulled her coat from the back of a chair, draped it around Kara's shaking shoulders as the blonde buried her face into Alex's collarbone, with silent sobs tearing through her lungs. And Kara grasped the edge of the jacket with one hand, held it tight in her fist.

When they went to leave, Kara's knees trembled again, sent her stumbling forward, and James lifted her up—so, so gentle as he scooped her into his arms and Winn trailed beside them, using his phone to start updating the med team on her condition. Maggie got the doors and Maggie held Alex's hand while the agent's other ran through blonde hair and she whispered soothing words and Lena entwined Kara's fingers gently in her own, and Kara fought for consciousness, fought the tides of memory.

/

It was two in the morning when they got the results back.

When they discovered it was a neurotoxin released from the alien they had fought nearly two weeks ago. The toxin was transmitted through the goo, absorbed through skin. The explosion of the alien's death had catalyzed the reactions, had brought the images of Kara's dead world, her dead family, to life.

Had slowly drained her powers and stolen her mind.

It was two hours later when a team of the world's best minds finally crafted an antidote.

It was with the sun that Kara woke, a pale image in the hospital bed as light spilled through the window.

It was with clearing vision that the room took form before her and the world came back in paint strokes of early morning light, to a sun that was not red, but a sun that gave her life anyway, a sun that embraced her in its golden rays.

A sun that raised the family before her, the people in various stages of sleep cycle, passed out in plastic chairs.

It was Alex, whose eyes opened first, blinked sleepily before parting into wakefulness, locking onto Kara. "Hey, hey, you okay?" Alex asked, always gentle, always selfless with Kara.

Kara nodded. "I don't remember everything. What—what happened exactly?" she managed on a rough voice.

"A lot, we'll talk about it later. You need to rest a little more, okay? You're body's been fighting for a long time."

" 'kay," Kara murmured, already felling the weight of sleep pull her back.

Alex grinned, brushed some hair off Kara's face. "I'm glad you're back with us, sis."

Kara smiled, a little lopsided, a little tired, but warm and whole in all the ways that mattered. With eyes closed she reached for her sister, pulled her into a hug. "Me too."


	52. Chapter 52 - Kara Gets Sick

**A/N:** So, Irma came through my city and while we were lucky that no major damage occurred, I don't have any power and will probably be without it for more than a week. As a result, everything is pretty hectic and I've had to take free time to get any school work done that I can, so I didn't get to write a new chapter. Luckily, I've had an update saved on my computer for a few months, waiting to be posted so that's what I have for you today while I crash at friends' house and use their wifi.

The prompt has been sent in a few times in multiple variations, but it's essentially about Kara getting sick and having Alex/Maggie take care of her. This one's pretty much all Maggie, but if you want a follow up with more Alex just let me know and I'll see what I can do. Updates just might take a while until things settle down here and power comes back.

Also, I went ahead and updated the poll since a bunch of new prompts were sent in on the last chapter.

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **New Message(s): Alex (2)**

 **7:03 AM: Morning, Maggie. Love you  
7:06 AM: Can you call me asap. I should be home late tonight/early tomorrow morning**

Maggie rolls over in bed to the sound of her phone buzzing against the wood of her nightstand. She sticks a hand out from beneath the blanket, groping around in the darkness for the source of the noise. Her fingers collide with the side of the phone and she curls her grasp around it, pulling it back under the blanket and reading her missed texts from Alex before dialing the other woman.

"Maggie?" Alex's warm voice swells in the silent room.

"Yeah, hey." Maggie lets her eyes fall closed again and flops against the pillow. Her voice is thick with sleep as it meets Alex's ears, a continent away.

"Sorry, did I wake you? I keep forgetting about time zones."

Maggie yawns and shakes her head, nestling into the pillow. "It's no big deal. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing really bad, but I just found out Kara blew her powers last night at… eleven something, your time. I've been calling her for the past few hours and she still hasn't picked up—she's probably just sleeping since it's her day off and she doesn't really have anywhere to be, but would you mind swinging by her place before work to make sure she's okay?"

"I have the day off too, so I'll get dressed and head over there now." Maggie drags herself upward, rubbing her eyes with a loose fist.

"You're the best, thank you so much."

"No problem, babe. You know I love taking care of the Danvers ladies."

She hears Alex laugh, as the woman paces the halls of her hotel. "I'm leaving for the airport in a bit, but I have a semi-long layover between my flights. I should be home pretty soon though, like less than twenty four hours kind of soon."

"Good," Maggie says, a smile across her lips as she finally hauls herself out of bed. "I miss my favorite DEO agent."

"Aww, softie" Alex says, voice exaggerated. "I miss you, too."

"Ha."

"I'd love to talk more but I've gotta go. Let me know how Kara's doing, okay?"

"You've got it. Love you."

"Love you, too," Alex says before clicking off the line.

/

Maggie steps up to Kara's apartment forty five minutes later, just after eight thirty. The sun is rising further up in the sky, spreading soft light into the hall. It takes seven sets of knocks and three yells to rouse the youngest Danvers from bed.

Her eyes crack open and she groans involuntary, head aching and room spinning as she sits up. The only thing registering in her brain at the moment is the fact that each knock on her door amplifies the pounding in her head.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Hold on," she yells, eyes squeezing tight at the pain in her throat. She furrows her brows and shuffles forward. The distance to the door seems to span an eternity. With a great sigh of relief, Kara's fingertips finally find the handle and she peers through the peephole after a confused, habitual attempt to use her x-ray vision fails.

She pulls the door open and has to lean against the frame to remain upright.

"Hi, Maggie," Kara says, voice hoarse and eyes struggling to stay open.

"Oh Little Danvers, you are not looking great." Maggie gives Kara a sympathetic look and steps inside.

Kara closes and locks the door, before turning and leaning on it as she faces Maggie. "Is everything okay?" the blonde asks.

"You tell me, kid. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She shakes her head, wincing as she swallows. "I just blew my powers last night."

"I know. Your sister called me. She's worried about you and now, I am too." Maggie puts a hand on Kara's pajama clad shoulder, runs it up and down her arm.

"You shouldn't be. I'm fine, just tired."

"If you say so," Maggie says and walks into the kitchen, there's no way in hell she's leaving Kara alone like this. She sets a bag on the counter, gives Kara the extra seconds she needs to follow Maggie's steps.

"I brought you doughnuts," Maggie says, beaming, but Kara's stomach flips at the mere thought.

She shakes her head, blonde messy bun flopping. "Thanks but no thanks." She sinks into a bar chair at the counter and brings a knee to her chest, breathing slowly and closing her eyes to fend off the nausea churning in her stomach.

"Hey, you okay?" Maggie walks over to her girlfriend's sister, thumb rubbing her shoulder again.

Kara gives a wordless nod, buries her head in her arms and mumbles some fragmented form of a question.

"What was that?"

Kara groans as she straightens and squints in the sunlight, the throbbing in her skull made worse. She drags a hand across her face. "Do humans always feel this… I don't know…" There isn't anything she's felt before that is quite like this. It's sort of like the cold she'd caught the first time she'd lost her powers, but a hundred million times worse, she decides. And anything she's felt that's similar to this on Krypton is lost deep in her memory. "Do humans always feel this… icky? This bad?" she finally asks, making a face.

Maggie gives a soft laugh and shakes her head. "No, sweetie. I think you're sick. You probably have the flu."

Kara sits still for a moment. A beat passes. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"I feel gross."

"I bet you do," Maggie says and gives Kara's shoulder a squeeze. "I think a hot shower might make you feel better, and a change into some new pajamas?"

Kara considers that for a second, nodding thoughtfully. "Okay."

She stands, wavering for a moment.

"Can I trust you in there to not pass out on me?" Maggie teases, looping an arm around Kara's middle and helping her down the hall.

"I sure hope so," Kara says. "We're close but we don't need to be _that_ close."

Maggie laughs and brings a hand to her face as they reach the door. "I'm with you on that one, Baby Danvers."

"Hey!" Kara exclaims, shooting Maggie a faux-glare, but it hurts her eyes and she stops before the detective even looks her way. "Little Danvers is as low as we're going."

"All right, all right. I'll keep the teasing to a minimum when you're sick."

"Thank you."

"Mhmm, call if you need anything, okay?" Maggie asks. "And remember, you're pretty much human right now, so you _can_ feel heat. Don't overdo it with the temperature in there."

"Right."

"You good?"

"Yes."

Kara steps behind the door, stripping out of her pajamas and climbing under the warm stream of water. Alone in the shower, she lets pretenses fall and the extent of how badly she feels set in. She bites her lip and swallows the lump that rises in her throat. She's not used to feeling so horrible and she definitely isn't used to feeling bad without her sister.

Maggie paces around the living room for a bit, lets a few minutes pass while she determines what to do next. Finally she pulls her phone from her bag.

"Hey, Maggie, is everything okay?" Alex asks.

"Your sister's sick."

Alex feels her heart clench, gets the familiar grip of panic and guilt she always gets whenever something's wrong with her sister. She sighs and rubs her forehead. "Shit. Is it bad?"

"She refused doughnuts."

"Damn. Well I'm boarding in a few minutes, so I'll be on my way. What do you think it is?"

"Probably a cold or the flu? I'm leaning toward the latter because she's looking pretty miserable and I have a feeling we still haven't got to the worst of it yet. She was joking around with me just a few minutes ago, but she's shaky." Maggie shuffles through cabinets in the kitchen.

"Can I talk to her?"

"She's in the shower right now, but afterwards I can put her on."

"I'll probably be gone by then." Alex pulls a hand through her hair, reminds herself that Kara has Maggie. She'll be all right. "Is she running a fever?"

"I don't know, I only had a few minutes of contact with her before she went into the bathroom to shower—hey, speaking of which, do you know if she has a thermometer? Or medicine? I was looking but then I realized she wouldn't even have a use for that stuff."

"Left most kitchen cabinet if you're facing the stove for the medicine, and thermometer is in the bathroom, bottom right drawer facing the mirror. She keeps it incase guests aren't feeling well at her place," Alex says, smile forming despite the concern in her stomach.

"Okay that is so sweet." Maggie grins as she pulls medicine out of the cabinet. "Your sister is too pure for this world."

Alex laughs. "Yeah, sometimes. You gettin' soft on Kara now, too?"

"Absolutely not," Maggie grins.

"You sure? 'Cause you're sounding a little soft over there."

"Oh shut up, Danvers, you're really one to talk," Maggie laughs. "Does her alien physiology still affect the dosage I'm supposed to give her right now?"

"It shouldn't," Alex says, shaking her head.

"All right, thanks. I can't wait to see ya, Danvers. I'm gonna hang with your sister today, I want to make sure she's okay. So just come over to Kara's when you land, all right?"

"I will. Thank you so much, Maggie. You're the best."

"It's my job to serve the people," she teases.

"Haha. Hey, listen, they're starting to call rows to board but I just want to let you know, Kara kind of holds tight when I'm not there, so however bad it seems like she's feeling right now, it's probably worse than she's letting on. She's not always a bad liar and she gets a little guarded, brave face and all that. So just keep an eye out for her, please?"

"Of course."

"And she also gets really snuggly when she's not feeling great."

"So do you. I'm used to it."

Alex sighs and then smiles. "I love you. Let Kara know I'm thinking of her and that I'm on my way back?"

"Will do."

"Thank you."

"Mhmm, have a safe flight, babe. I love you."

Maggie commits the next few minutes to reading every instructional word on the medicine bottle. She does not want to screw anything up when it comes to Kara. She spends some more time pulling extra blankets from the closet, something she has done more times than she can remember over the past few months of game nights and movie nights. Then she places an order for chicken noodle soup from the cute, little café three blocks away and when she glances at the clock she realizes forty minutes have passed since Kara first stepped into the shower.

"Kara," she calls out, knocking against the door. "Hey, Kara."

There's no response.

"Kara, come on. Are you okay in there?"

Silence.

Maggie feels her heartbeat pick up, slam in her chest as worry loops in her stomach. "Kara, I'm going to have to come in if you don't say anything." She knocks on the door again, this time her fist propelled by fear. "Kara," she tries once more.

The blonde blinks slowly, vision a little fuzzy. She's registering loud hits from somewhere she can't quite see, somewhere beyond the water and the pounding in her head. "Maggie?" she asks, calls out when she shakes off some confusion. _Did I fall asleep?_ Kara furrows her brow and realizes she's sitting.

At the sound of Kara's voice, a sigh falls from deep within Maggie's lungs. She leans her head back against the bathroom door and closes her eyes for a moment. "Yeah, I was just checking on you. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'll be out in a minute." She lets her head lean against the tile, tries to soak in the heat of the water on her shaking body. It takes another minute, but she finally gathers the strength to stand and turn off the shower. In the absence of its warmth she quivers, despite the towel wrapped tightly around her.

Kara opens the door and steam spills out into the hall where she sees Maggie, positioned at the end, tip of her thumb tucked nervously between her teeth. She drops it at the sight of Kara, face shifting from concern to sympathy. "Hey, you feeling any better?"

"A little," Kara answers as Maggie wedges an arm around Kara, helps support her as they walk. The blonde notes how Maggie pretends not to notice that Kara's hair is drenching her shirt or that so much of her is held up by the detective she would probably fall if it weren't for the arm wrapped around her middle.

"I think—I think I fell asleep in there," Kara says.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Kara's face creases in confusion. "My legs felt funny and I thought I was going to fall, so I sat and the next… the next thing I remember is hearing you call me."

"Well that... does not sound safe," Maggie says. "I guess we gotta get you to bed soon."

Kara nods. "You don't… you don't have to stay, I'm sure you have other things to do and I don't want to take up your time."

"Nah-uh." Maggie shakes her head, just as the doorbell rings with the soup delivery. "No way am I leaving you here alone when you feel like this. Now go get changed, I'll get the door."

"Okay," Kara relents, there's too much pain in her throat to keep talking and her head hurts and her body's achy and she'd too tired to argue anymore. Plus, she'd be lying if she said she wanted to be alone right now.

"Are you hungry at all?" Maggie asks before she turns away.

Kara shakes her head.

"You don't want to at least try?"

Another head shake.

"Okay. I'll be back in a minute or two."

/

When Maggie returns, Kara is clothed in her fluffiest pair of pajama pants and a sweater from college, trembling as she sits crisscross on the bed.

"You're freezing, aren't you?"

Kara nods, lips already pulled into a small pout.

"I'll be right back," the detective says and comes back a minute later, carrying a blow dryer in one hand and a hairbrush in the other.

She plugs the machine into the wall and slides in behind Kara. "Come 'ere," she says, gently guiding Kara in front of her.

The blonde complies, scooting over and blinking slowly as the warmth begins to engulf her. Maggie watches, feeling satisfaction swell inside her, as Kara's muscles relax and her shaking eases.

"Maggie?" Kara whispers after a few minutes of the detective blow drying her hair, turning to face the other woman.

The brunette turns down the settings, so she can hear Kara better. "Yeah?"

"Thank you for taking care of me."

Maggie smiles. "Of course."

Kara shifts and plays with the hem of blanket. "Is Alex going to be home soon? Not that I don't like having you here," she suddenly corrects. "I do—you're great, but I just… I miss Alex, and I know she was supposed to come back today so—"

"Shh," Maggie laughs. "It's all good, I understand. She's on her way now and she says she's thinking about you. We talked while you were in the shower."

"Oh, okay. Good," she murmurs sleepily and Maggie smiles, rubbing the youngest Danvers' back. When she's sure Kara's done asking questions, the detective turns the blow dryer all the way back up, intent on getting Kara warm and dry as quickly as possible.

The heat lulls Kara's eyes closed, coaxing her to sleep before she can even try to fight it. She slips back against Maggie and the detective lets out a soft 'aw,' because in moments like these Kara doesn't look like Supergirl, invincible and collected. She just looks like Alex's little sister, like the little girl who lost her home planet. Maggie aches for Alex to come home, thinks about the bed being full again soon and the living room buzzing with activity.

She finishes drying Kara's hair and ties it into a loose braid.

Maggie eases out from behind the blonde, gently lowering her against the pillow and shifting her so she's under the sheets. The detective gathers an extra blanket to tuck around Kara and spreads it over the sleeping alien, as Kara turns and curls up on her side.

Once the lights are flicked off and the blinds closed to keep the room as dark as possible, Maggie stays for a few minutes, stroking Kara's hair and rubbing her shoulder until the younger girl finally stills in her sleep and the detective returns to the living room where she's got her laptop in her bag.

Maggie passes the next few hours catching up on paperwork, checking on Kara every so often to make sure the younger girl is still asleep. The blonde slips in and out of conscious and unconscious states, mumbling and twisting in her sleep. She kicks off blankets, then shivers so hard Maggie layers them all back over her.

Then sun has just sunk beneath the skyline when Kara comes fully into wakefulness (or as close as can be expected given her current condition). Each swallow is punctuated by a grimace and her head thunders and her stomach cramps and she sniffles as tears burn in her eyes and she feels stupid for being this needy and weak. She's so hot she pushes off the sheets with her sore limbs and shakes under the power of new chills.

She's so tired, but she can't fall back asleep and she doesn't have it in her to call for Maggie, so she waits, curling in on herself. It doesn't take long for Maggie to come in, but it feels like an eternity to Kara as shivers.

"Oh, hey, sleepyhead, nice of you to finally join the living," she teases, soft smile on her lips that falls as she gets closer and sees the moisture pooling in Kara's eyes and the paleness of her skin. "Oh, hey, hey," she murmurs, rushing to Kara's side. "What's a matter? Should I call the DEO?"

Kara bites her lip and shakes her head, turning to bury her face in her pillow to hide the tears that involuntarily spring from her eyes. She feels embarrassment burn in her stomach. She's trying so hard to keep it together—she's an _adult,_ she should not be _crying._ But she's never been sick like this before and Alex is away and oh she feels so, so bad.

"Hey, Kara," Maggie says as she climbs in beside the younger woman. "Kara, come here."

Kara turns away from the pillow and rolls into Maggie's leg, looks up at the detective. "I'm sorry," she murmurs, voice raw and watery before she pulls the sheets back up so she's almost buried completely beneath them.

"Oh no, Kara, don't apologize." Maggie brushes back Kara's hair so she can see the blonde's face.

"I didn't mean t-to cry," she sniffles. "I just—I think too much when I get like this and I…" she trials off and shrugs.

"Shh," Maggie says lightly. "You don't feel well, it's okay. You can't help it."

Kara breathes, lungs a little shaky. It's true, she really doesn't feel well. Not at all.

"And listen," Maggie continues, thumb stroking Kara's temple as she talks. And it's nice, makes her headache disappear a bit and reminds Kara a little of Alex. "I know you feel really shitty right now, and your sister isn't here and I know that I'm not her, but you don't have to keep your guard up around me. We're friends right?"

Kara nods and her nose tickles Maggie's side. "Thank you," the blonde breathes.

"Of course, Little Danvers," Maggie says, rubbing the blonde's shoulder. Kara's hand creeps into Maggie's and she squeezes, something out of pain and discomfort. The touch is so gentle that Maggie's taken aback for a moment, but then she thinks about the years of practice and conditioning Kara's gone through to make sure she's always holding back her strength. Maggie's heart aches a little bit for both Danvers sisters.

"Your sister said you love to snuggle when you're not feeling well, I thought I'd seen the most of it at movie night but maybe not," Maggie teases, smiling when Kara gives a small laugh. With Kara pressed into her side the detective is suddenly aware of how much the blonde's shivering, even beneath the three blankets Maggie's pulled over her.

"Hold on," she says, adjusts Kara to shake free the arm she'd pinned down. Maggie presses the back of her hand to Kara's forehead and it's something the blonde's seen Eliza do to Alex when they were growing up.

Maggie's heart sinks and she finds herself wishing more and more that Alex were there. "Oh, kid, you're absolutely burning up. Let me take your temperature, okay? And then we're most definitely getting some medicine into you."

Kara makes a sound of protest when Maggie leaves, disappearing from view.

She's taken Kara's temperature, determined that it's high enough to make Kara miserable but not high enough to be dangerous, and coaxed Kara into swallowing some pills and water when she hears the distant ringing of her phone in the living room.

"I'll be right back," she promises.

A smile splits Maggie's lips as she reads the caller ID and swipes to answer the call. "Hey, babe."

"Hey, Mags. How's she feeling?"

"Awful, I think. But she's surviving. I'm doing the best I can to make her comfortable."

"I know you are," Alex promises.

The detective takes a deep breath. "Alex, she cried earlier," Maggie whispers, cupping her mouth to keep her words low. She feels guilt surge inside her and needs to tell Alex, hopes maybe there's something she can do.

Alex closes her eyes for a moment, feels parallel guilt. "Kara gets emotional sometimes. I don't want to say it's normal for her, but it's definitely not abnormal. Did she settle?"

"Yeah," Maggie says with a nod. "She snuggled a bit."

Alex laughs. "That would do it." Maggie can hear footsteps and voices in the background.

"How many hours do you have?"

"Three and a half until my next flight departs and then pretty soon I'll be back in National City, headed straight for you two."

"Good," Maggie affirms. "Your sister's been asleep most of the time."

"Has she eaten at all?" Alex asks, she can't help her medical training from surfacing.

"No, I've got soup waiting for her when she's ready."

"All right. What other symptoms?"

Maggie thinks back, going over conversation and interactions with the youngest Danvers. "We've established the fatigue and loss of appetite, then there's weakness, dizziness, sore throat, runny nose, fever, headache, stomachache… I think overall there's a lot of ache going on."

Alex gives a breathy laugh, sympathy tightens inside her. "Is she up?"

"Yeah, or she was at least a minute ago. She-" Maggie turns around, sees Kara padding out of the bedroom with slow, shaking steps. "She's actually right behind me…" Maggie pulls the phone away from her ear a bit. "Kara, what are you doing? Should you be up right now?"

Kara gives a heavy shrug, before collapsing onto the couch with a dramatic groan. She tosses a thumbs up over the top of the couch to alert Maggie that her collapse was more theatrics and melodrama than actual inability to support her own weight and the detective shakes her head.

"Your sister's on the phone," Maggie says and Kara instantly perks up, head popping up over the cushions.

"Really?"

Maggie nods and passes over the device.

"Hey, pretty girl, how are you feeling?" Alex asks, voice laced with a softness that only appears when Kara's hurt or upset.

"Kind of bad," she sighs. "This sucks."

"Yeah, it does." Alex agrees. "But hey, you always said you wanted to know what it's like to be human."

"Ha." Kara deadpans.

"I'm only teasing. I love you."

Kara smiles, nestles her face into a pillow and mumbles. "I love you, too. Maggie says you're comin' home soon."

"I'm already on my way, just a few more hours and I'll be there, okay?"

Kara nods and presses her face into a pillow, letting the line fall silent for a moment before she murmurs. "Alex?"

"Yeah, Kara?"

"Can you just talk to me for a little while?"

"Of course," Alex says, lets her words carry over and fill Kara's head until the blonde's eyes grow heavy and she slips forward, folds over herself with her face shoved into a pillow, and the phone slips from her hand, dangling over the side of the couch and meeting the floor with a soft thud.

Maggie makes her way over and laughs at the sight. She picks up the phone and brings it up to her ear. "Danvers, you bored your little sister to sleep."

"Pics or it didn't happen," Alex shoots back, laughing when her phone vibrates and she looks down to an image of Kara in one of the most ridiculous sleeping positions the agent has ever seen. "Nah-uh, that has to be staged."

Maggie laughs. "It's the real deal, babe."

"Poor Kara," Alex says and Maggie rubs the blonde's back.

The detective sits on the couch and Kara stretches out, leaning toward Maggie. The detective grins and opens her arm, lets Kara snuggle against her as Maggie talks to Alex, lets the minutes between their reunion trickle away.

/

Alex eases the door closed behind her, pressing the handle down before turning the lock back in place and tiptoeing through the apartment. She quietly deposits her duffle bag on the floor outside of Kara's bedroom before entering, and when she's finally inside, her heart swells at the sight before her. Kara's sprawled across the bed, limbs strewn out, and tangled around blankets. Her head lolls against Maggie's stomach, mouth open and snoring slightly.

Alex is overwhelmed with the love augmenting in her chest at Maggie, drops her jacket and has to blink back tears because Maggie is so perfect and Alex has never been so in love.

The movement brings Maggie to wakefulness and she blinks heavily, looking confused as though she didn't quite mean to fall asleep.

"What is this oversized puppy doing in our bed?" Alex teases, glancing at Kara before leaning down to brush hair out of Maggie's face and pressing a kiss to the detective's lips.

"Technically it's her bed," Maggie says when they break apart and Alex laughs, a little bit exhausted, a little bit giddy at the sight of her girlfriend cloaked in moonlight and taking care of her little sister so well. Alex straightens and Maggie's arm leaves the warmth of the blanket, grabbing for Alex instead.

"Wait, I'm not done," Maggie murmurs—sleepily, happily. She's smiling as she pulls Alex back into another kiss. "I missed you," she says.

Alex smiles and squeezes Maggie's hand. "I missed you too."

"How's she doing?" Alex asks, looking over at Kara.

"It's been a few hours since she had her first dose of medicine, I think it kind of knocked her out a bit. She's really sick, Alex."

The agent bites her lip and moves to the other side of the bed so she's closer to Kara. In her sleep, the blonde moves, curling to her side and off of Maggie, so she's facing Alex.

Maggie continues. "I don't think it's anything that can't be fixed by some medicine and rest, but I just feel bad, you know?"

Alex nods, because she does know. She's known since Kara arrived on Earth what it feels like to see her hurt or upset or scared. How it feels to have that responsibility and guilt and sympathy all bundled tight inside you. "Thank you," Alex whispers. "For taking care of her. I can't tell you how much that means."

Maggie smiles. "Anytime." She pats the open part of the mattress beside her. "Now, come lay with us. We can make room."

"I will in one sec," Alex says as she toes off her shoes and changes into a pair of pajamas she always has lying around at Kara's. "I want to go grab her some medicine and water and maybe a wet washcloth for her forehead, she still looks feverish."

Maggie shakes her head and stands up. "No, I'll get it. You look exhausted."

"You sure?" Alex asks, drawing Maggie in for another kiss.

"Of course. Go be with Kara, I'll be back in a minute," the detective says as she turns out of the room.

Alex sits on the edge of the bed, mattress shifting beneath her. She brushes a hand across Kara's forehead, strokes her hair and the blonde looks up, eyes parting just barely when Maggie returns. Alex murmurs her thanks and takes the items.

"Here, let me help you," Alex says when she sees Kara struggling to sit up.

"Alex?" Kara whispers, voice hoarse and painful.

"Yeah, I'm right here. I'm home now." She rubs Kara's back. "I have more medicine." Alex passes Kara the water and pills, waits for her to finish. "There we go, lie back down."

Kara complies, eyes drooping closed as she shifts. "Alex, you're—you're back."

"Yes, I am." Alex wraps her hands around Kara's then releases them to grab the washcloth. "This is going to make you feel better I promise," Alex says, gently wiping Kara's forehead before leaving the cool towel there. "How's that? Feel good?"

Kara's response is nothing more than an indecipherable murmur and a small tilt of her chin, eyes already closed, but her hand still reaches out, curls around Alex's as she falls asleep.

"I don't know how I got so lucky," Alex whispers when she finally settle's in bed and turns to face Maggie.

"What do you mean?"

"You. I mean you," Alex says and Maggie crinkles up her nose with a little grin.

"Yeah, well you're not bad yourself, Danvers."

Alex smiles, twists her other arm to pull Maggie closer. "Love you."

Maggie settles into her side, presses a sleepy kiss to Alex's collarbone. "I love you, too. Now get some sleep, babe. We've got an alien to take care of in the morning."

"You're telling me," Alex laughs, nestles into her girlfriends. "I'm glad I'm home."

Maggie hugs her tightly. "Oh, Danvers, you have no idea."


	53. Chapter 53 - Kara Gets Sick (Part 2)

**A/N:** Here's the requested part 2 to the last chapter. I'm sorry it's so short, I've had to take a lot of time on school work lately.

Thanks for everything and keep voting on the poll if you haven't already!

* * *

It's just past five thirty in the morning when Kara starts moving—twisting beneath the sheets, flopping from one side to the other. It's a few more minutes before Alex wakes to tossing and turning beside her and stifled whimper.

"Kara?" she whispers, propping herself up on an elbow in the darkness and rubbing her eyes. She squints when the only response she receives is the creak of the mattress and Kara curling further into herself, focuses to make out Kara writhing with a hand slung around her abdomen, clutching the fabric of her t-shirt on the other side.

"Kara, what's wrong?"

The blonde turns, presses her face hard into Alex's side without even looking up at her sister and wraps her arms around the agent's warm body.

"Kara?" Alex tries again, rubbing her back.

"My stomach hurts really bad," Kara murmurs into the soft material of Alex's shirt.

"Do you think you're going to throw up?"

Kara shrugs, breath hitching and hiccupping and voice whining "I don't _know."_

Alex untangles herself from the blonde, leans back to look at her. The agent's eyes sweep over Kara's features for barely a second before Alex swings her legs over the side of the bed and she stands.

"Come on." She wraps an arm around Kara's waist and pulls her out of the sheets, toward her own side. "I totally think you're going to throw up."

A whimper penetrates the tight line of Kara's lips and she doubles over three steps into their walk.

"You gonna make it?" Alex asks, bending to catch Kara's gaze and brush a strand of blonde hair from her burning, damp forehead.

Kara nods, eyes squeezed shut, and Alex guides her the last few feet to the bathroom where the brunette's prediction is proved correct two minutes later with Kara kneeling over and emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet.

Maggie's eyelids part to dim yellow light seeping into the bedroom and it takes a moment to identify the source of her waking, features contorting into a grimace at the realization.

"You're okay, Kar, you're okay." Alex's voice carries on the early morning air, darkness still seeping through each crevice of the city and settling for a few more minutes before daylight starts creeping in.

Maggie flinches at the sound that follows and slips out of bed. She appears in the bathroom doorway, rubbing her eyes and leaning against the frame with mussed hair.

"Need anything?" Maggie asks softly, crossing her arms. Alex looks her way, one hand still stroking Kara's back as they blonde drops her head onto the edge of the toilet, wrapping an arm around her stomach with a groan.

Alex moves her hand up to brush Kara's hair. "Can you grab her a glass of water?"

Maggie disappears with a nod and when she returns, Kara's head stays pressed against the porcelain but she manages a 'thank you' as Maggie comes toward her side.

"Mhmm," Maggie hums softly. "Need anything else?"

Kara shakes her head and Alex takes the glass, convinces Kara to sit up and swish the water in her mouth before spitting it out.

Alex phone rings as Kara tilts back, leaning against the wall.

"It's Dr. Hamilton, I texted her about what's going on," Alex explains and stands with a gentle squeeze on Kara's shoulder.

"I don't want to go into the DEO," Kara mumbles, putting an arm out to stop Alex's movement. " _Please,_ Alex."

"I'll see what I can do, but I want Dr. Hamilton's opinion. Maggie, can you just stay here with Kara for a sec?"

The detective nods, dropping beside the blonde as Alex leaves the room.

"So," Maggie says after a stretch of silence. She looks over at Kara with her head tilted back against the wall, face pale and legs bent up toward her stomach. "How do you feel?"

" _Gross,"_ Kara groans, making a face. "Just _ugghck_ , not good."

Maggie laughs. "Always so well spoken, Little Danvers."

"Shut up, Tiny Detective," Kara fires back with a little smirk.

"Oh don't even start that again," Maggie begins and Kara's smile grows before dropping from her face completely as she bolts upright off the wall.

"Are you gonna-?"

Kara nods and Maggie's up on her feet, helping Kara lean forward, filling in for Alex, rubbing shoulder blades and holding back a loose blonde braid as Kara shudders and heaves.

"You'll feel better when you're done, just get it out, Little Danvers. You're okay."

"Sorry," Kara gasps between breaths, hunched over the toilet, propped up on her elbows with her head in her hands.

"It's okay, Kara, you're fine," Maggie says, wets a washcloth with cool water and offers it to Kara when she finishes.

"I've been told to keep an eye on you," Alex says, coming back into the room and looking at Kara.

"Like you weren't going to already."

"True. But I reserve the right to take you in if I think it's necessary."

Kara groans in response, setting her head back down in her arms.

"Dr. Hamilton really isn't worried? Maggie asks, fingers brushing Kara's hair as she stands beside her, looking toward Alex.

"No," Alex shakes her head and pulls Maggie into a one armed hug. The detective leans into the touch. "Not yet at least. Kara's immune system is an embarrassment, so Dr. Hamilton agrees that this kind of response isn't too abnormal all things considered."

"Hey," Kara whines from the floor, turning her head so her cheek is mushed against her forearm and she can see Alex.

"You're not help your case." Alex grins and untangles herself from Maggie. "Think you feel okay enough to get up?"

Kara nods, takes the hand Maggie offers her and stands shakily.

"Bed or couch?"

"Couch." Kara curls her fingers around the hem of Alex's shirt and holds on, following her sister into the living room as Maggie keeps a hand on Kara's shoulder.

"I'll go grab some blankets and pillows," Maggie says as Kara collapses onto the couch shivering, still grasping Alex's shirt in her hand. "Need anything else?"

"Can you grab a bucket or something incase… you know?" She tilts her head down toward Kara where the blonde has slumped against her sister's side.

"You got it," Maggie says.

"What do you want to watch?" Alex asks a moment later, threading her fingers into Kara's hair and massaging her scalp.

"Harry Potter?"

"Sure, good choice. I'll set it up." Alex slides out from under Kara and eases the DVD from the crammed box under the TV. It takes a few minutes to get the movie playing and when Alex gets back to couch Kara latches onto her side, snuggles into her lap with half lidded eyes drooping closed.

"Alex?" Kara murmurs.

"Yeah, sis?"

"Thanks for being here."

"I always will be, you know that." Alex brushes her fingers through Kara's hair.

"Thanks for dating Maggie, too." Alex laughs and Kara lets a smile taking over her sleepy features. "Keep doing that," the blonde says.

"I plan to."

"Good," Kara says with a sigh, nestling against the pillow in Alex's lap and letting the steady hand drawing circles on her back slow her breathing until the Harry Potter overture fades and her eyes close.

Maggie has the ends of two blankets twisted between her legs as she comes back into the living room, arms over flowing.

"Want help?" Alex reaches out, pulls some of the fabric away from Maggie before she trips.

"Thanks." Maggie sets the rest of the supplies down, spreading a blanket across Kara and Alex, tucking some pillows around the couch.

Maggie leans back for a moment, checking on her work before she leans forward and gives Alex a kiss.

"What's that for?" Alex says, smiling.

Maggie flashes the time on her phone. "I have to go." She gives an apologetic looks. "I have to work today and I still have to go back to my place so I can change and get all my stuff before going into the precinct."

"Oh Maggie, you were up all night with Kara. I didn't know you had work today, you should have told me. You needed to be sleeping."

"It's fine, it's fine," Maggie shushes, pulling Alex in for one more kiss. "I'll be back around four tonight, okay? I get off early."

"Good. See you then?"

"Of course," Maggie says and makes her way to the door. She steals one last look before leaving, replays the image of Alex cuddled with her little sister through her head as she enters the elevator.

/

It's ten hours later when Maggie eases the apartment door open again. It all seems the same with another Harry Potter movie playing and a mountain of blankets piled on the couch, except now Kara is sitting upright with Alex slumped into her side, eyes closed and body curled up.

The blonde looks over from the TV, bun bouncing at the movement as she smiles at the detective. "Hi, Maggie."

"Hey, you feeling better?" Maggie pulls off her jacket and hangs it on a chair.

Kara nods. "Way better. My powers are even coming back a little since I stayed out in the sun for a while."

"Perfect. What'd you do to your sister over here?" Maggie teases, brushing hair out of Alex's face and kissing her temple.

"Maggie?" Alex murmurs, eyes peeking open.

"Yeah, hey. What happened? Kara wore you out?" She winks at Kara as she says it and the blonde grins back nodding.

"Mhmm," Alex mutters and reaches out, pulling Maggie against her side. "Stay with me."

Maggie climbs onto the couch and with Alex snuggling into her side and Kara on the edge of the seat cushion over a Harry Potter movie she's easily seen five times, the detective can't think of a place she'd rather be.


	54. Chapter 54 - Time is Altered

**A/N:** Thanks for sticking with me and thank you to the guest who sent in today's prompt: **time is altered and now Alex doesn't exist/isn't Kara's sister. It's up to Kara to fix things.**

Right now it's looking like this prompt will be a two part-er. But the poll has been updated, so go vote if you'd like. :)

Thanks and happy (almost) Supergirl Monday! I'm out of my mind excited for the episode, so if you want to talk feel free to message me here or on twitter :)

* * *

The streets are lit by dim lamps and DEO vans corral the area.

Her name is Kara Danvers and Alex is her sister.

These primeval truths she has known for years—repeats them at first merely to blend in, leaving a metallic thickness in their wake, until any falseness or asterisks are stripped away by time and closeness. Until Alex's position as her sister is as sure as anything Kara has ever known, more sure at times, than even Kara's own name.

Because her name… well her name changes depending on who you ask and when and where and how. But Alex? Alex is always, always there.

Alex is the one she runs to, the one she's running to when a flash of purple cracks across the night sky and the universe is whirling in Kara's ear and she can't hear her sister screaming, can't hear J'onn telling her to get away, not to touch the sparking, screeching technology dropped from an alien ship during the fight. All she knows is that Alex is always, always there, and the metal is catching fire, deep magentas and soft lavenders licking up at the dark sky and Alex is pinned under debris just a foot away from the flame.

If Kara dives she'll make it in time, will manage to wedge her body between Alex and the wailing tech.

So she does.

Kara throws herself forward, yelling her sister's name and there's a crash and a boom and the ground shakes and Kara feels the solar energy blast out in protest from her cells, feels her powers seep away and it hurts in her bones, in the pit of her stomach, in the back of her skull.

A gush of wind yanks at her hair, rattles her ribs.

Sunlight assaults her eyes when she opens them and a hand comes up to cradle her forehead before she can even think. She closes her eyes again and her body tingles like every limb is asleep, like she's run a thousand miles and her lungs can't catch up.

She blindly pushes against the ground, trying and failing to keep her eyes open, tips toward her side instead as nausea simmers in her stomach.

The axis of the world feels like it's been slanted a few degrees.

"Whoa hey, ma'am, you should probably stay lying down right now."

The voice curls inside her head, sooths something of the pounding there in its familiarity. Kara strains, eyes squeezed shut as she combs through letters in her brain, tries to put together a name to accompany this voice that she knows so well.

"Here, there you go," the voice says and Kara feels hands on her shoulders lower her back to the ground. She feels gravel press through fabric and moves to smooth her cape down beneath her. She gropes at the space above her shoulder and her eyes snap open.

There is nothing there.

She looks down, her super suit has been replaced by a pantsuit and a silk white blouse, coated in dirt and a splotch of blood.

Her heart races, beats against her ribcage. "W-what happened?" she manages and her mouth is dry, tongue against her teeth and tripping over words. She barely recognizes her own voice through the clanging in her skull and the swimming blurs of cityscape warped behind her eyes.

"There was an explosion. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but paramedics are on their way, okay? You're going to be just fine."

Kara eases upward again and tries to turn toward the voice, but the sun is too bright. It isn't supposed to be here.

These clothes are wrong.

"Can you tell me your name?"

It's supposed to be nighttime and she's supposed to be in her Supergirl suit and Alex is… " _Alex!"_ she chokes out, eyes darting around the scene. She can't find her sister, can't find a DEO van in sight, or the alien ship they'd been fighting.

Her breath picks up in her lungs.

"Okay, Alex, well I—"

"No!" She shakes her head and her stomach lurches in protest. " 's my sister."

"Alex is your sister? We can have the hospital call for her. Can I get your name?"

"Kara," she says and her eyelids fall closed, voice slurring because if she isn't Supergirl then there's only one other person she can be. "Kara D-"

Her eyes are closed but colors are spinning behind them, she falls backward.

"Hey careful, stay with me all right, kid?" The woman reaches for her hand, gives it a gentle squeeze. "Just a few more minutes."

"Kar-Kara Danvers."

 _Maggie._

Kara fights her mouth to stay open at the revelation but it won't and the thought is too heavy and a wayward tear streams forward and consciousness fleets from her as easily, as seamlessly and inevitably, as daytime into night.

The other woman's brows crease in confusion and she lets go of the hand, an ice cold chill sprints down and settles in her core as she turns to spot one of her colleagues. "How far out is that ambulance? I think we're dealing with a TBI… or something… something else, something more maybe."

"Less than a minute, Detective Sawyer."

/

"What have we got?" she asks and an intern falls in step at her side, tilting a clipboard in her direction.

Their steps sync, echoing through the bustling hospital corridor.

"Twenty six year old female, likely TBI, some signs of retrograde amnesia, came in from the explosion just a few blocks over. Detective Sawyer was the one who called it in."

"Oh really?"

"Yep. She was on scene, there was extraterrestrial activity associated with the incident. Patient was unconscious upon arrival but shows signs of waking."

"Hmm, charts?"

The intern hands over the papers as they turn a corner.

"Thanks."

In the room at the end of the hall, bright lights bleed into Kara's consciousness for the second time that day. Kara hears her sister's presence before she feels or sees it. The gentle hum greets her ears, floats above the rest of the hospital clatter and rouses the blonde from sleep.

Kara shifts and the ache in her head forces her eyes back closed, tells her that her powers are still lacking.

"Huh… interesting." The woman pauses outside the door and looks up. "Did Sawyer tell you this?" She drags her finger across the line at the bottom of the page in the box titled 'notes.'

The intern murmurs the end to herself. "Given name didn't match ID on person'… Yeah she's the one that heard it along with a bunch of other weird shit the patient was mumbling got a cousin we don't know about, Dr. Danvers?"

Alex laughs, tucks a loose strand of hair behind her own ear and passes the clipboard back. "Guess we're about to find out, has her family been contacted yet?"

"Other than you?" The intern gives a cheeky grin and Alex rolls her eyes.

"Funny."

Kara's heart sinks with the weight of planetary gravity, screams inside her chest and she bites her bottom lip to fend off tears.

Something is wrong, wrong, wrong.

"They're working on it right now," the intern relents and reaches for the door. "You ready?"

Alex nods. "Let's see what we can do."

Kara sucks in a deep breath and watches her heartrate climb on the monitor, and when the door opens, the pain in Kara's head is nothing to catch sight of her favorite person in the universe. With her standing there, cracking open the door with a soft smile and lab coat over her shoulders, Kara can only think _I love you, I love you, I love you._

Alex freezes in the doorframe as something intangible washes over her, as images under her consciousness beats up against her brain: a flicker of sunshine through a window looking down at someone; something soft and blue beneath her fingers, a person pressed warm against her side.

"—for real, Dr. Danvers?"

"Huh?" she whispers back.

"You know her?"

Alex shakes her head, crinkles her brow in a way that parallels the blonde lying in the bed across from her. "No." She dismisses the sentiment and steps into the room, closing the door behind her.

"Hi," she makes her way toward the hospital bed, trying to shake the nagging inside her. "I'm Dr. Danvers, I'll be taking care of you, okay?"

Kara nods and swallows a watery laugh because some things never change—not in different universes or timelines or whatever the hell this is. She shakes her sister's outstretched hand and just barely manages to choke out a "Kara" because the hand feels almost the same, warm and slightly smaller than Kara's. But it lacks callouses from weapons and DEO training, callouses that had to form because of Kara.

Her finger grazes the cool metal band of a ring and her eyes snap upward to the ID badge dangling from Alex's lab coat. Her heart lifts at the picture smiling back at her and beneath it: Dr. Alex Danvers-Sawyer.

She bites the inside of her cheek, tears rising.

"Hey, it's okay." Alex's hand settles on her shoulder and it's the same, it's the same. It's all the same but it's not. "I heard you've been having some memory problems, right?"

Kara shrugs and drops her gaze because she can't look into those familiar brown eyes any longer.

"Well don't worry, you're in good hands. We're going to run a few tests, check for a concussion among other things, so just let me know if you have any questions while we go or if anything's not feeling good."

Kara nods, no longer trusting her words.

It's over two hours later when she's alone in the room again. She twists the edge of the hospital sheet, draws it up toward her face and brushes it across her cheeks, her nose, because it smells faintly of Alex and if Kara closes her eyes for a single piece of a second, she's home.

A knock on the doorframe jostles inside Kara's head and she blinks, shifting upward as she rubs her eyes. The room is shrouded in the blue shadows of dusk and without meaning to, she'd slept for hours.

"Kara?" A nurse cracks open the door and pops her head in. "We got in contact with your family, you up for visitors?"

Kara nods, straightening her posture to try and look over the woman's shoulder. "She'll be here in a minute," the nurse says. "I just have to go grab her from the waiting area."

Kara gives a small tilt of her chin and twirls the hem of the blanket between her thumb and pointer finger, rubs the fabric back and forth until the friction breeds heat and pinkness.

The door swings closed and when it opens moments later Kara feels her whole world crumble and crack in her chest. Her fingers freeze and her knuckles go white gripping the hospital sheet and her voice is heavy.

She chokes over her words and coughs.

Her eyes are wet before she can even blink.

"Aunt Astra?"


	55. Chapter 55 - Time is Altered (Part 2)

The nurse closes the door behind her, leaving the pair alone and Kara scrambles out of the bed. Her feet aren't fast enough to close the distance, wouldn't be even if she had her powers. The sheets tangle between her legs and send her tripping forward.

She should fall, but instead, Astra's arms are there.

With her Kryptonian strength, Astra easily holds Kara up, pulling her into a hug so that for a moment her feet don't touch the ground and she's freed from the mass of sheets that drops to the ground and settles with a soft thump; for a moment she isn't more than twelve years old. She curls her arms into an embrace around Astra's neck, balanced on her tiptoes and presses her face into the raised line of her aunt's collarbone. Kara breathes in her scent, soaks up the heartbeat pressed against her and fills her fingers with soft curls. With her eyes closed and her sense full of these wonderful, minute, colossal ghosts for just a moment, Kara doesn't have only her aunt back, but her mother, too, her planet. For just a moment, it's enough.

It's enough to make her never want to leave this twisted, titled timeline.

"You remember me?"

"I could never forget you," Kara says, not thinking about the circumstances or context.

"I missed you." Astra's lips brush against Kara's hair and she hugs her closer.

Kara swallows hard, closing her eyes and trying to hold tighter. "You have no idea"

"Little One," Astra begins and pulls back to look Kara in the eyes, brushing blonde hair behind her ear. "You frightened me. I flew as soon as I heard the call."

Kara ducks her head as her face falls, wants to let herself believe for just a second that this part of the timeline is real. A whimper breaks forward and then the tears fall, slip down her cheeks and onto Astra's shoulder in sync with the gentle hand rubbing up and down her back.

"It is okay, Little One. It's okay." Astra murmurs into Kara's ear and it sends her diaphragm heaving in time with the strength of her cries.

"W-what's… Where are we? What happened, Aunt Astra? What's _happening_?"

"Oh, my sweet Kara. You were here for a conference, we're in National City right now. There was an accident, you were injured," she leans closer, lowers her voice to a whisper, "I didn't know that could happen with your powers, but you haven't used them for years and I know that's my fault, I am sorry, Kara."

"I don't," she hiccups and wipes at her cheeks. "I don't understand."

"Do not worry, it will come with time." Astra walks them back to the bed, moves to ease Kara onto the mattress but the blonde clings to her aunt.

Kara swallows over a lump in her throat, stays quiet hugging Astra, trying to preserve her warmth and touch and features to memory.

"Aunt Astra?" she says after minutes pass.

"Yes, Little One?" Astra brushes a hand over Kara's hair.

"I love you."

"I love you, too. So much."

Kara smiles, sniffling. "Will you stay?" She closes her eyes. "Just for a little if you can?"

"Of course." Astra kisses Kara's temple. "The nurse informed me that she's going to bring in some personal items that you had with you, see if anything sparks some recognition. They're going to let me stay the night with you."

Kara nods and has to remind herself that none of these memories will be real, nothing within her reach is real in this moment.

/

"Damn it!" Alex growls in the empty lab, slamming her hand against the counter before crumpling up the next page of results. She shoves away from the table to throw out the sheet, and a rack of test tubes shakes, clinking against one another.

Alex freezes, sure that one is going to break against the file cabinet.

"Hey, easy over there."

Alex's head whips toward the door, where her wife is leaning against the frame. Maggie looks back at her, brows raised and arms crossed.

"Hi," Alex offers as Maggie walks over.

"Hey." The detective curls her arms around Alex from behind, hugging her close as Alex's shoulders ease out of their tensed hold and she releases a heavy breath.

"How'd you get them to let you in here?"

Maggie shrugs and Alex feels it on her back. "You were supposed to be home over an hour ago."

Alex pulls out of Maggie's embrace and turns around, grabbing both her hands instead. "It's—'

"Past nine already? Yeah."

"Damn it." Alex heart drops in her chest. "What about Jamie?"

"The sitter's still with her, promised I'd pay extra for staying late."

"Maggie, I'm so sorry, I—"

"Save it, okay? What's going on? You've been acting weird all day."

Alex tugs her hand away from Maggie and rubs her forehead, looking down at the ground. "Jamie's really going to hate me after this… shit, Maggie, I was getting so close. She's going to be distant again isn't she? I really messed up, I…"

"Hey Danvers, cut it out. It'll take time, you just need practice and consistency, okay? You haven't had any experience with this kind of thing. And while I'm pissed that you forgot to come home for her, I want to know why, before I say anything else. So, what the hell is going on? I haven't been able to get in touch with you since this morning."

Alex glances around the lab and takes Maggie's hand, guiding her out of the room, down the hall, into the elevator. The silence threatens to take over, but Alex squeezes Maggie's hand as the floors pass, tugging her forward when they reach the highest floor and switch elevators to get onto the rooftop.

A sweep of her eyes confirms that the area is empty so Alex steps out, walks them toward two old chairs, outlined with battery powered Christmas lights that flicker when jostled.

"Damn, you come here often?" Maggie asks as they sit, looking out at the skyline, made visible by glowing yellow windows and moonlight.

"Shut up, Sawyer," Alex says, glancing over to see a smirk on her wife's face and feeling one spread across her own. "If I remember things correctly, I did propose to you up here, didn't I?"

Maggie shrugs, squeezes Alex's hands where they're still clasped together. "You might have, that sounds a little familiar."

Alex smiles and Maggie shoots her a wink. "So what's going on, babe? I'm serious, you can talk to me."

"I…" Alex drops her head, peeks out at the city ahead through dark lashes. Maggie runs her thumb over the back of Alex's hand, gives it another squeeze. "I shouldn't say this… I shouldn't even talk about it, but that girl? The one who came in earlier, with you?" Alex raises her gaze to look at Maggie and the detective nods.

"I just have this weird feeling about the situation."

"Like?"

"Like I really do know her." Alex pulls her hand away from Maggie, tucks her arms across her chest instead. "I know it sounds crazy, I just—"

Maggie shakes her head. "Not crazy."

"I keep seeing things when I'm with her, even when I so much as pass her room or close my eyes… they're like… like snapshots from another life and then she was saying my last name as her own like we're related or something but I called my parents and there's no Kara Danvers in my family tree but I _feel_ something and I can't shake it. I, this must sound stupid…"

"Alex?" Maggie runs a hand up and down her back.

"Yeah?"

"When I was on the crime scene and I was with her, a few minutes had passed and she was fading. I couldn't be sure if she was conscious or not, but she kept mumbling something and I thought I was just hearing it because it couldn't be right… because this… this woman I've never met in my life muttered my first name after saying yours, and she shouldn't have known that. And her _voice…_ "

"It's like you've heard it before?!" Alex turns to face Maggie, her whole body shifting.

"Exactly." Maggie nodded.

"Her tests are all coming back wrong," Alex says. "I know I'm not supposed to talk about that, but they're a mess. They don't seem right, there's something foreign almost… in her cells, in her makeup… I have to figure this out. She could be… how does she know these things? It's…" Alex hangs her head again, curls her fingers around her wife's hands. "I'm scared, Maggie."

"You don't have to be." Maggie lifts Alex's hands and presses a kiss to her knuckles. "But you've been at the hospital for over fourteen hours today, you need to rest at some point."

"I will," Alex promises. "Just give me another hour or two and tell Jamie I'm so sorry, I know I really screwed up again."

Maggie nods, standing up. "Come home soon, okay? I miss you."

"I miss you, too."

Maggie turns around, a few steps away from entering the elevator, knowing Alex needs a few moments to think before going back to work. "And remember, Danvers, it's about the people, not the numbers. Those pages don't always tell the whole story."

Alex nods and takes a deep breath. When she finally stands, Maggie is gone and the rooftop is silent save the howling rustle of wind that carries through the night.

/

"Anything?"

Kara shakes her head, sifts through the box and pulls out an ID card. She trails her finger across the name: Kara Zor-El.

There isn't a sound in the room, just bated breathes between her and Astra with the box settled between them.

Kara swallows a lump in her throat. "They weren't afraid my name would give me away?"

"They?"

"The people who raised me," Kara clarifies and her features twist in confusion, head tilting to the side. "Who… who did raise me, Aunt Astra?"

"It was just me," Astra answers and guilt washes over her face. "It was just the two of us together, I didn't think about that at the time… Our whole worlds had just slipped from our hands, we had nothing and then we were here on Earth."

"The Phantom Zone?"

"You remember?" Astra sits up straighter as she says it.

"I know I was there, but for how long?" She asks, it has to be different, Alex is even older than normal here, she's—

"It must have been about twenty eight, twenty nine years for you, I can't be certain, I…"

"Fort Rozz."

Astra nods and suddenly she's silent again, twisting her hands together.

Kara reaches out, spreads her palm against Astra's knuckles. "It's okay. I don't care about that, I mean… you raised me. You… you've always been more than that, more than what happened on Krypton."

"We got pushed out of the Phantom Zone together, at the same time, crashed here together. It was always us together."

Kara nods. "I bet you were good," she looks up with a smile, tears glimmering in her eyes. "At raising me. It would have been nice to have each other, pieces of home, not being so alone…"

"I should have been better."

"You were grieving. For many years, I'm sure."

"You needed someone else, you needed more. I should have been better."

"You were always the best aunt." Kara says. Her face crumples.

"Oh, Little One, what's wrong?"

Kara shakes her head, tenses as Astra attempts to pull her into a hug.

"This isn't right," the blonde murmurs, through thick, murky tears that choke her throat and tighten around her chest. "This isn't real." She misses Alex. She misses her home. She misses putting these feelings behind her and pretending that they don't still hurt.

"What do you mean, Kara?"

"I don't belong here. I'm not—I love you Aunt Astra, more than I can ever say—but I don't belong here, this isn't me. It isn't real. It's… it's not and I can't keep pretending."

Astra pulls back from Kara, looks into her blue eyes, reflecting light in the tears that spill from the edges. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I do not understand. I-"

The door bursts open and both pairs of eyes snap in its direction. Alex shoves the door closed with a hand gripping crunched papers.

She locks eyes with Kara and there is nothing soft in her gaze. She's raises a finger, pointing as her voice shakes.

"You're not human."

* * *

 **A/N:** One more part and then I promise we should be done. :) Keep voting on the poll if you haven't already. As always, thanks for sticking with me-I really appreciate it.


	56. Time is Altered (Part 3)

**A/N:** I'm so sorry it took me almost a month to update. That being said, I'm really busy with life and school right now, and might be taking a break from this story. I'll try to write fics for prompts when I can, but I can't promise any sort of regularity (not like I've been good about that lately anyway). I'm also planning to work on a multichapter story and/or some unrelated one shots, so that's going to fill my time, too.

Thank you so much for sticking with me.

Hopefully the length of this chapter makes up for my absence.

I hope you like the final part of this prompt: **Time is altered and now Alex doesn't exist/isn't Kara's sister. It's up to Kara to fix things.**

* * *

"You're not human."

Every muscle in Kara's body quivers with her stillness. "I-" She looks down at her hands, the ID card in her fingers snaps with the force of her grip, looks back up at Astra and the heartrate monitor begins shrieking against the wall.

With three strides Alex crosses the room and yanks out the plug.

Kara can feel the warmth of heat vision flicker behind her eyes, blinks and it's gone, but the power is still there.

Alex drops the cord to the ground and turns on her heel to face Kara and Astra. "It's in these papers," she says and thrusts the crumpled sheets forward, pulling them back before either Kryptonian can grab them. She squints as she looks at the images and rows of numbers. "Your physical DNA doesn't match the one attached to your ID, it explains… it explains why your last names didn't match either, what you—what you said…" her voice shakes and the page tears at the edge. "What you said to Maggie, about… about your name, but what the _hell_ does that have to do with me? Or my wife? What do you want from us?'

Kara bites her lip.

Alex stares back and Kara can't look up.

"I-" Kara's eyes are welling with tears. "I can't explain."

"Well try." Alex's voice is hard and Kara's shoulders crumple inward and she is sinking in on herself, swallowed in disheveled white sheets.

"You're alien," the brunette presses.

Kara raises her eyes keeps looking down in the silence. "And?"

"And you…" Alex huffs, her footsteps treading back and forth are the only sound in the room. She stops. "You have to get out of here because it isn't safe. I—listen, I don't know what the hell is going on and I want you to explain it but I just… I have this feeling, I-" she squeezes her eyes closed and her shoulders drop, a mirror image of Kara's posture. She steps forward and puts her hand on the edge of the bed. "I destroyed the results of your tests, these papers right here in my hand are the only copies left. I don't know what you're doing or how you ended up here but the anti-alien sentiments are strong even today… if they… if they knew… if I reported this, like I'm supposed to, they could take you away, they could—My mom is a scientist, does a lot of work with a lot of extraterrestrial biology, and she's seen things that they've done in the shadows of facilities and government buildings, it isn't safe. But you should know all this and you… you should be impervious to injury so what… what happened? _Please_ , please just tell me what happened."

Kara can't tear her eyes away from her hands, with the sinking of her heart to her stomach this is the worst she's felt here in this tortured timeline.

A second of silence holds the air taut and Kara can feel both pairs of eyes trained on her, carrying weight in different forms of the same degree.

"I'm not… I'm not from here," she says and lets the sentence linger for a moment. "Neither are you, in… in a way. The timeline got altered… it must have been something with the alien tech on the scene. J'onn warned me, everyone warned me to be careful and I can hear them now, I can hear them when I think back but I—" Kara's voice cracks and she squeezes her eyes closed so tightly that it hurts. "I had to save you, you were going to get hurt, you—"

"Me?" Astra's voice fills the gap, and Kara feels like a frigid hand is inside her abdomen, pinching and contorting and yanking at her organs. She feels like she might suffocate with the weight of broken worlds inside her.

"No," she chokes out with a shake of her head, and she can't look up, can't look up. Can't look up at those eyes that don't shine on her Earth anymore, at those eyes that will never open again if this is all fixed.

With a pain that shreds and shakes, Kara _knows._

Knows she doesn't want to be here. Knows she needs this to be fixed.

"You," she whispers and it barely upsets the sterile air but Alex feels the weight of something insurmountable pressing at the back of her skull, the weight of another lifetime.

Kara looks up and piercing blue eyes link with Alex's warm brown.

Kara looks up and Kara knows.

She needs to go home.

"You're my sister," Kara says, sniffling. She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and now that she's looked into Alex's eyes she doesn't want to stop because those are the same, the same, the same.

They're already taking her home, home, home.

"Me?" Alex asks and her voice is soft.

Kara nods. "Eliza and Jerimiah took me in when I crashed down on Earth, we were teenagers. We lived in Midvale and your bedroom… your bedroom was on the second floor on the left if you're facing the house and I… I took the guestroom down the hall and it became mine, and _we…_ we became sisters. I have to get back there, I have to… I- Aunt Astra," Kara looks over to her aunt. "We didn't come here together, I didn't even know where you were for so long. Everything was so different… I-"

Astra's hand moves, settles on the thin blanket above Kara's leg. The contact should be settling but it burns guilt through Kara.

"It's okay, Little One." There is understanding in her misty eyes.

Alex blinks.

It's almost dizzying.

The window, that sunlight, a small blonde girl in all white.

Alex blinks and Alex knows.

Kara squeezes her hands into tight fists to diffuse the pain coiled in her chest, the pressing weight between Astra and Alex, but she must trust in her truth.

Her reality.

Her nails press crescent-shaped indents into the soft skin of her palm.

She looks back at her sister.

"I have to get home. Will you help me?"

Everything is telling her this is crazy, everything is telling her this is wrong, wrong, wrong. Everything is screaming at her to file a report and finally end this night. Everything is telling her no, except for this blonde woman in front of her.

Alex looks up, and Alex says yes.

/

"I'm going to clock out," Alex says slowly, pacing around the foot of the bed. "And then we need to find a way to get you out of here… maybe um, maybe we can get you to the back staircase or I can get you a change of clothes and you can sneak out but they can't see you leaving, if they see you leaving they're going to be suspicious and they're going to…" She blows out a breath, hand raising up to her forehead and pushing back hair. Kara knows this look, knows Alex is toeing a line, stressing herself out. "Shit, what am I doing?" Alex murmurs, screws her eyes shut so tightly it hurts.

"Hey," Kara starts and her voice is soft and low. "Hey, it's okay.

Alex doesn't know why, but it slows her increasing heartrate, forces her to pause and look up as the tightness in her chest loosens just a little.

"I can fly."

"Fly?"

Kara nods, smirking slightly at Alex's parted lips and raised brows.

"Like Superman, but faster… You do… you do have Superman in this timeline don't you?"

Alex nods, slowly at first and then with a tap of her palm against her thigh she begins pacing again. "Okay so you'll fly, what about…um?" She looks over at Astra.

"She can fly too."

" _Okay._ Then listen, you've got to be careful. Stay low and in the shadows when you're getting out of here. The window at the end of the hall faces away from the street so use that one. It will open if you twist the knob on the side and hold up the middle lever at the same time, okay? That end of the corridor will be empty for about a minute or two, so don't go any earlier or later than I tell you."

Kara nods.

"I'll be… shit okay, I'll be three blocks to your left if you're facing away from the hospital. My car is black. You've got to be quick, all right? You're sure you're feeling okay?"

"Better now. Powers are back, too." Kara says with a soft smile, gaze locking onto Alex's warmly, and not for the first time that night a multitude of snapshots rapid fire behind Alex's eyes with so much force she stumbles.

The breath she takes racks up through her lungs and her shoulders shake. The blurry illusory images she'd first seen are filling with color, sharpening.

"Alex?" That soft, sweet tentative voice. She knows she's heard it a million of times and then some.

"Come on," Alex says, raising her head. "I'm going to go." Her eyes flit down to her watch. "Leave ten minutes from now."

Then she slips through the door and lets it snap shut behind her.

"Finally getting out of here, Dr. Danvers?" A nurse quips, looking over his shoulder but Alex's head is already down as she clocks out, gives a noncommittal hum in response.

She tries not to bounce her foot to dispense nervous energy, tries to keep her eyes focused, tries to keep her heart from tearing out of her chest.

"That whole thing was weird today, with that girl and the alien shit… man, I'm telling you that's why we've got to get rid of those things. They don't belong here. A bunch of sick freaks just here to screw us over."

She bites her tongue and squeezes her eyes closed for a moment.

She tries not to move too fast.

"You in a rush?"

"Nope," she pops the p and gathers her stuff.

"No seriously what's got you moving so fast at midnight, you got plans?"

She takes a deep breath and meets his eyes, speaking slowly. "I have a wife, I have a child, and I'm going home to them."

He squints and his frame is oriented in the doorway so she can't get out.

"Move."

He holds up his hands in surrender. "Geez, you don't have to be like that. I'm just messing around."

She rolls her eyes and pushes past him, pretends not to hear the slur he spits under his breath. There's no time, no time, no time.

If she survives through this until morning she'll find a way to make peace.

She quickens her pace as she walks, needs to recover the time she lost at their encounter. If she's too slow Kara and Astra will be lingering and if a bad cop gets to them first, it'll take a single test to reveal their alien status now that Kara's back to full powers.

She crosses through the walkway attaching the hospital to the parking garage, jamming her finger into the elevator button. Her leg bounces as she waits and this time she lets it, slipping into the elevator before the doors are completely open. Once she's heading downward she tugs her phone out of her bag, needing to hear Maggie's voice and tell her what's going on. But the device is dead and she curses, looking down at the black screen as the elevator halts to a stop and she steps out.

In the still night, every noise is magnified in her ear, the distant sound of a car starting two floors above her, a rustle of wind dragging a plastic bottle across concrete, the hum of dingy yellow streetlights. She twists the strap of her bag around her finger, walks briskly, head down and fights the urge to look up at any security cameras, to think about how this could fall apart.

Her hand curls around her door handle and she fumbles with the button on her keys to unlock the car.

"Hey!" A deep voice cuts through the darkness and her stomach drops as something icy and sticky curls in her abdomen.

She turns around, sees a figure moving in the shadows.

Her breath catches in her throat.

Something clatters at her feet. Her hand is suddenly empty.

Alex looks down, she's dropped her keys. She sweeps them up and when she stands again, the person emerges into the light.

A heavy exhale escapes and she's so relieved her eyes water.

"Hey," she calls back to the security guard, hopes her voice sounds friendly, hopes it doesn't shake. "You working the night shift these days?"

"I am. You have a good night, Dr. Danvers. Stay safe."

"You too," she says and the door handle creaks beneath her hand as she yanks it open, tosses her bag into the passenger seat and slips in. She tries to plug her phone into the charger but it keeps missing as her fingers shake and she tosses it aside, glancing at the time displayed on her car's dash and noting that Kara and Astra should have left three minutes ago.

Her heart thunders in her chest and the steering wheel grows damp beneath the crushing grip of her hands as she pulls out of the parking garage.

At last, at last, at last, she's out of sight of video cameras and colleagues. As she puts her car into park three blocks later she lets out an aching breath and drops her head against the steering wheel, feeling vaguely confident that she might throw up and knowing with certainty that she needs Maggie's voice more than anything right now.

Just a minute or two and they should be here.

She fumbles around in the darkness, unwilling to turn on a light as she grabs the phone charger again and tries to plug it in.

Two taps on the window cause her posture to snap tight.

There's no way Kara and Astra can be here already. She would have seen them come past the front of her car, there's no back route or alternative.

She bites the inside of her cheek.

Two more sharp knocks.

She jerks forward and it shoves the charger into the phone and a muted white light fills the front of the car as the battery symbol appears and the light disperses and bounces back and from the side of her window reflects two green eyes.

"Dr. Danvers."

A voice vibrates through the glass, laced with an accent she can't quite place.

Alex can't help but look and their eyes are locked together when it clicks. Despite every screaming instinct on the surface of her thought, Alex rolls down her window.

The voice is speaking again. "I'm—"

"Lena Luthor," Alex cuts off. "I know who you are." They stare at each other before Alex continues. "What the hell are you doing out here? Heiress of Luthor-Corp out strolling through alleys at night? Looking for something you can turn into your brother? Or maybe your mother this time?"

Lena swallows nausea that surges at the reference to her family. It's to be expected and yet, it doesn't lose its bite. "I'm here to help you."

Alex rolls her eyes and climbs out of the car, slamming the door behind her. Standing, she now has a height advantage on the youngest Luthor. "That's rich. Unfortunately, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Lena bites her lip and Alex's gaze flits down to Lena's hands where they twist together before Alex looks back up at the woman. But the Luthor's face is passive, her eyes looking earnest as they bore holes through Alex.

"The timeline was disturbed, we both know it. The girl…"

Alex squints, feels her muscles tighten with a dormant springiness beginning to surge within them.

"Kara—"

In a single motion, Alex turns on her heel and has Lena pinned against the side of the car. She doesn't know where the knowledge of her hand positioning or weight distribution had come from, she doesn't know why the muscle memory spurred the action, or why irrational, hyperbolic protectiveness had swelled at the blonde woman's name.

She doesn't know, and yet, she does.

So she pushes Lena further against the car and leans in closer. "How the hell do you-"

"Alex! Get off of her," Kara's voice cuts through the night air with the scuffle of footsteps.

She's there, pushing herself between them with more speed than a normal human should have.

Alex raises her brows, refuses to retreat at Kara's stern gaze.

"She's good," Kara says it softly and Lena finds herself unable to move.

"She's…? You're kidding me, right? Listen, I barely know you, but I think… I get it, okay? I'm buying into this whole timeline thing, sure. Because objectively it explains a lot. But you… Kara, you're from a different timeline, I mean you don't know what she's capable of here. What her family has done to… to people like…"

 _People like you._

Kara casts a glance at Lena, at those green eyes she knows so well. They're filled with unshed tears reflecting dim streetlights. There's no shimmer behind them, but there's no malice either. Only pain and an ocean of confusion.

And her hands, Kara watches as Lena's hands shake and she shoves them into her coat pocket.

Kara looks back up, catches Lena's eyes and offers her a soft smile.

She turns back to Alex. "She's good."

This time Astra is the one to protest first. "Kara, Little One, I know you always see the good in people, but her family—"

"Let's hear what Lena has to say before we finish that, okay?" Kara defends, shifting on her feet so she's angled between Lena and the other two women.

"Okay," Astra relents with a nod.

Lena looks up and all eyes are on her.

She locks her gaze onto Kara's and forces her voice to steady. "When you came here, it was an accident, correct?"

Kara nods.

"And there was a device, yes? When it all happened was there something metal, rounded at the edges?"

Kara nods again.

"Like this?" Lena pulls out her phone and with two swipes of her fingers, a picture emerges. Kara's heart lurches when she sees it, the device looking insignificant and small against the white background of a lab counter but she knows its abilities now.

"And there was lots of sparking and light it was—"

"—purple," Lena finishes.

Kara's eyes light up. "Yeah!"

Alex furrows her brows and makes a face, jabbing Kara's side with her elbow.

"What? That's exactly what it was like," Kara defends and looks back at Lena with an encouraging nod.

"Continue," Astra demands. "What are the implications of your statement?"

"A monitor picked up a mass energy fluctuation at the scene so I looked into it and my brother, Lex—"

"We know who your brother is," Alex cuts in. "We don't easily forget the names of mass murderers."

Lena bites her bottom lip, shifts her gaze downward.

Then there's Kara's voice again, soft and calming and increasingly familiar in ways Lena's never known before. "It's okay," the blonde reassures. "Just… just keep going."

Lena looks up and Kara's waiting for her gaze with a soft smile, because she trusts Lena in any universe—because she knows her heart and her head and her hurt. She knows Lena and no amount of timelines or years or alien technology can change that.

"He retrieved the device from the scene of an alien ship that'd crashed onto Earth. Everyone in the ship was killed on impact but some technology was intact despite the ship being destroyed. The device was used to create wormholes for efficient space travel. The technology was flawed and that's why the ship crashed but it was successful in the physical creation of wormholes. Lex spent years manipulating and redesigning it."

"Why?"

"He wanted to go back and alter time so that Superman's pod never even reached Earth. I went through his files and he eventually set the project aside after he couldn't hone in with the degree of specificity required."

"Oh my god," Kara gasps.

Astra and Alex both whirl to face her. "What?"

"That's why my pod came here differently…. It's why I arrived here with Astra when I didn't in my timeline, it explains the forces, the manipulated path of travel. He was really close, Lena. Really, really close. He could have—"

A scuffling of footsteps carries through the alleyway and Alex catches light reflecting off the green outlined badge of an anti-alien task force. Kara falls silent as tension radiates off Alex's suddenly taut muscles.

"Get in the car," she whispers, gently pushing Kara forward. "We don't want this kind of conflict right now."

Astra follows and Alex looks at Lena, unblinking as she looks into her eyes, studies her face.

The footsteps grow louder and Alex climbs into the driver's seat, turns back to Lena. "Get in the car, Luthor."

"What was that?" Kara asks as they pull out of the alley and onto the main road.

"They're an anti-alien hate group who've taken it upon themselves to hunt aliens and expose them, violently, often ending in murder."

Alex tightens her fingers around the steering wheel.

Kara furrows her brows. "Why hasn't the government stopped them?"

"I told you, the government is part of the problem. They never outright condone the group and in doing so, they endorse it and validate that kind of behavior."

Kara falls silent in the backseat next to Lena, watches Alex through the rearview mirror and aches to be able to hug her, to hug her Alex, back home.

"We need the device," Lena says, breaking the silence. "I know how to reprogram it and fix the timeline."

War wages inside Alex's head but she looks and catches Kara's eyes in the mirror and the blonde nods and Alex trusts her enough to trust Lena.

Alex takes a hand off the steering wheel and grabs her phone, pulling it up to her ear. "Maggie, I'm about to ask you to do something really crazy and if it's too much just tell me and I'll figure out another way."

Silence stretches a beat before Alex speaks again. "I need you to steal something from the evidence locker at the precinct… the device from earlier today… no, I swear to god I'm not kidding…. Yes, I probably have lost my mind."

She smirks in the front seat with street lights casting shadows across her features and Kara's heart fills.

"I'm a minute away, no she won't be alone… I'll explain when I get home… also, I have people with me… three… I'm pulling into the driveway right now, come outside and see."

Alex ends the call and puts the car into park in front of a cream-colored house, it's lit suddenly as two lights by the entryway switch on and the door opens.

Kara watches as Maggie eases the door closed behind her, walks the ten steps she needs to see the other passengers as they get out of the car. Maggie's brows raise and she walks straight to Alex, circling a hand around her wrist and pulling her to the side.

"Explain."

So Alex does, in rushed words. She says the things that make sense and the things that don't and she tells Maggie about the things that make her sound crazy and delusion and desperate.

"We have to help her," Alex says softly when she finishes, tosses a glance over her shoulder to where Kara stands, in the middle with space between her and Lena and Astra, with her hands hugging herself around her stomach and her head looking down and blonde hair tumbling over her shoulder. "I can't explain it, I just feel something." Alex squeezes her eyes closed and the images are back, the flashes of memories and touch. "I just know that we need to help her, that what she's saying is true. I know it sounds insane and—"

Maggie reaches out, puts a warm hand on Alex's cheek. "Hey, it does sound pretty crazy, but remember? I told you I felt something, too, so you're not in this alone. I've got to go now though because I know the feds are coming for that tech and the precinct probably doesn't have much time with it, so I've got to go see how quickly I can go commit a federal offense. There's a lot of chaos down there right now and I need to take advantage of that."

"Badass," Alex says and kisses Maggie's forehead.

"Blondie over there better be right," Maggie says. "That's all I'm saying."

Alex nods. "I think she is."

"Me too."

"This is…" Alex blows out a breath. "This is a lot."

Maggie nods and squeezes Alex's hand. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Be careful, all right?"

"You too."

Then Maggie takes Alex's keys and gets into her car and disappears into the night.

/

Alex, Lena, Astra, and Kara are bent over the coffee table with papers spread and diagrams covering the area. Lena's running through her calculations with Alex double checking at her side while Kara and Astra give the details they can. They're nearing the end when the gentle patter of footsteps carries down the hall with a soft whine.

Alex stands and goes to meet the source of the noise, Lena and Astra are absorbed in confirming the last formula they need but Kara follows Alex's movements with her gaze, watches as the brunette scoops up the small figure of a child. The girl wraps her legs around Alex's waist, curls her arms around her neck and nestles into her collarbone, murmuring sleepily.

"Hey, bug, what're you doing up right now? It's late," Alex whispers, bouncing Jamie just slightly as she walks them down the hall back to Jamie's bedroom.

"Miss you," the three-and-a-half-year-old murmurs around the thumb in her mouth. "Where you go? You didn't come for me."

Alex feels her heart splinter and holds Jamie closer to her chest. "I know, I'm so sorry, baby. I had something important at work and got wrapped up in it, but that's not a good excuse is it?"

Jamie shakes her head and with her free hand, she twirls her fingers in Alex's hair.

"I'm sorry, Jamie. I love you so much, forever and ever. You know that, right? No matter what."

Jamie nods. "Love you, 'lex," she mutters as Alex tucks her back in bed.

"I love you, too, baby." Alex presses kisses across her face.

"Where Maggie?" Jamie asks, snuggling into the stuffed lion Alex slides under the blanket beside her.

"She'll be here when you wake up," Alex says and Jamie mumbles something incoherent and Alex tries to forget that everything might be different in just a few hours.

She turns away when Jamie's breathing slows and sees Kara standing in the doorway.

"Sorry, I just—Lena and Astra said they're finished. So when Maggie gets back we'll be good to go."

"Okay," Alex nods, runs a hand through her hair.

"She's your… your daughter?"

"Do I not have one in your timeline?" Icy panic pulsates in Alex's veins.

Kara shakes her head. "You and Maggie are only engaged so far, it's a few years in the past compared to here. You're younger there."

"She's adopted," Alex whispers. "We finalized it two months ago but she's been with us for almost a year. She was abandoned, Maggie found her while working a case. We think her parents were alien and that's why she ended up alone, something probably happened to them."

"So she might be…"

"An alien? Yeah," Alex nods. "We have to be so careful. If anyone found out, they might try to take her away."

"It's… it's not like that where I'm from, but I—um, I—Astra doesn't make it. She got k—she died, in my timeline and I don't know what to do," Kara's voice cracks and tears reflect the moonlight shining outside Jamie's bedroom window and this is a decision she really needs Alex's advice on. "Do I tell her? Do I—"

"Hey okay, come here," Alex says and leads them out of the room, closing the door until just a sliver is open. "Is it—can I hug you?"

Kara nods and Alex pulls her into an embrace. It's awkward at first, but then the feeling is so familiar, so comforting that the tension involuntarily eases from their bodies. "What do I do?" Kara asks, bottom lip quivering and Alex doesn't get the chance to answer because suddenly her phone is ringing and Kara jumps back in surprise and Maggie's name is flashing across the screen.

Alex accepts the call and her wife's voice travels over the line. "Listen," her voice is sharp and rushed. "I'm less than five minutes away from the house. I tripped an alarm on my way out and some officers noticed it was missing. There's a number of squads out patrolling now. The only thing that will reveal it was me would be if they get to our house and find it. I covered everything else, so you need to be ready to use this damn thing, okay?"

"Got it. We're ready."

Except Kara feels anything but ready. She tears out of the hallway to tell Lena and Astra to prepare and then guilt fills her with nausea as she presses into Astra's side and is warmed by the body heat of her aunt.

It's all happening with dizzying speed.

She wants to say I love you and she wants to say thank you and I miss you and a million other words that aren't enough, but her throat is too tight and tears are rising and her heart is stuttering.

So she hugs Astra and closes her eyes and tries to secure this memory one last time when Maggie throws open the door and then the device is in Lena's hands and she's making the final modifications. Then it's sparking and the purple light is back. "Thank you," Kara says to Alex and Maggie. "I'll… I'm gonna see you soon, okay? On the other side."

She sees Lena slinking back, pulling away from the scene in the way she used to when Kara first introduced her to Alex and Maggie and James and Winn and all her friends. "Hey," Kara says and gently catches Lena's hand.

She looks up into Kara's blue eyes and both pairs are brimming with tears.

"It gets better, okay? I promise. You're a good person and you get people that love you. You get the love that you deserve and I believe in you, okay? I really, really do."

Lena gives the first smile Kara's seen from her all night.

The device is shrieking now and the distant roar of sirens perks in Kara's superhearing. She looks at Astra and squeezes her tightly into a hug. "I love you more than words could ever say. You're the—the... You were the best aunt and I miss you. I—"

The purple flames shoot from lilac to dark lavender and there's a crack and boom and then Kara's vision is pitch black and air is whirling and her stomach flips and she grits her teeth. A painful tingling starts in her toes and throbs up to her head until her whole body is quaking and the solar energy is ripped from her cells again. It stretches for an eternity and just when she thinks she's going to tear apart from the inside out, she's spit out and tipped onto her side, crashing onto a street as gravel bites into her side.

She feels like vomiting and she feels like the earth is spiraling but her atoms feel aligned the way they're supposed to be.

"Supergirl, what the hell!?" Alex's voice pounds inside her head and Kara tries to open her eyes but her muscles won't work.

The shifting of concrete grates in Kara's ears and she recognizes J'onn's footsteps as he helps Alex up and then she recognizes Alex's as she runs over and kneels at Kara's side.

Kara's eyelids flicker open and closed and her world comes back in loud, blurry snippets.

It's night again, with the same chill in the air as when she'd left.

"Careful," Alex's voice is low and calming as Kara struggles to sit up. Alex's hands wrap around her sides, hold her steady. Then J'onn's eases her up, flies her away from the battle to an evacuated sidewalk, marked off by DEO caution tape. He settles her down and puts Alex on her feet beside Kara with a few brief words before flying back into the fight.

"Hey," Alex says gently as Kara's eyelids part and stay open this time.

Kara groans and drops her head into her hands, curling over so her elbows rest on the knees pulled up to her chest.

"Hey, Kara." Alex rubs her back and whispers now. "I need you to talk if you can. Are you okay?"

Kara nods slowly, forces herself to lift her head. "Yes," she mutters and tears flood her eyes at the sight Alex. She's more than okay now and it has everything to do with the sister in front of her, the sister in reach of her stinging, trembling hands.

"Oh my Rao I missed you," she says and ignores the ache in her muscles and stomach and head to throw herself forward into Alex's arms instead.

Alex hugs her close, fingers splayed across Kara's back, rubbing steadily. "What happened? I saw you disappear in the flash of purple. It took three whole minutes of you missing for you to reappear. There was a black void with a ring of purple that opened up in the sky and you fell out of there, crashed into the pavement. That's probably why you're hurting right now. No powers?"

Kara shakes her head. "No powers."

"So what happened? I was scared out of my mind for you."

Kara closes her eyes and squeezes Alex, dips her head into her sister's neck. "I'll tell you soon, can I just—can we just go home. I'll explain there and you can do your med check if you want, I just need to be close to you."

"Sure," Alex promises, presses a kiss to Kara's pounding head. "Nothing will come between us."

"You have no idea," Kara says and her voice is cracking and high and laced with tears.

Alex takes her home and Alex wraps her up in bandages and blankets as they curl up on the couch. Kara tells her everything and then she cries for Astra and for Krypton and for Lena, for Maggie and Alex and beautiful broken things.

Alex holds her and puts on a movie and Kara's asleep within minutes. A gentle knock on the door rouses her awake, still with Alex's arms around her.

Kara starts to sit up, brows furrowed. She turns to Alex, with concern tugging at her features.

Alex shakes her head. "It's okay, you can relax I just thought you might want to see some people."

Kara's head tilts toward the door as it opens and Maggie steps in with Lena behind her. "Look who I picked up," the detective says and a smile breaks out across Kara's lips.

She tries to stand but the motion sends waves of pain pulsating through her body. Alex gives a hand to help Kara sit again and the blonde collapses back into her sister's warmth with a small huff of frustration.

"It's okay, Little Danvers," Maggie says, closing the door and balancing a bag of takeout in the other hand. Kara's light with the people surrounding her. "You take it easy," she says and Kara smiles, swallowing the lump in her throat. Alex's hand is in her hair and Maggie's stepping into the living area and Lena's giving Kara her best, shining smile. "We'll come to you."


End file.
